Sonic: Dawn of the War ¦ Epic book denuo
by Escee
Summary: An epic, detailed adventure set in the SatAM universe w Knuckles. When Robotnik sets Project UA into motion, two very different worlds will collide. The magnitude may be more than Sonic or Knuckles can fathom. Read & Review, Please! A novel. Now Complete!
1. Foreword

Dawn of                
         the War  
  
TAKE IT ALL THE WAY  
THE SONIC EPIC  
  
DENUO: BOOK THE SECOND  
  
  
**FOREWORD  
  
**

            Welcome to the second volume of the Escee Takeshi Sonic the Hedgehog epic.  The first volume was written in 1997 and '98, and I was but a wee lad.  In other words, I couldn't write for beans back then.  If you haven't read it (Volume 1) already, don't bother; it sucks – or, at least, it's poorly written, **and this volume makes perfect sense by itself** (small clarifications are given below, as well as within the footnotes of the text, but **you don't need to have read the first volume to understand this one**; you can if you wish to (it's also here at fanfiction.net) but it is not necessary.  This volume can stand alone.  
  
            Volume 2 (this volume) was started in '99-2000 and then work on it resumed in 2001, but I still didn't really have anything special in the way of writing skills.  However, today, in 2003, I really believe I finally have writing worth reading.  The first four chapters of this volume were written between 2000 and 2001, and since I was rather unimpressed with them, I edited them before resuming work on the novel in early 2003.  They may thus be archaic, since they are, at their core, rather old, and only were updated in 2003.  Chapter 5 was written in its entirety in 2003, so it won't have any elements of the old regime in it.  
  
            Oh, and as I said, don't read Volume 1 if you haven't already.  All you really need to know is Sonic met a fox named Caero, who saved Sonic's life and who took a leave from his clan to join Sonic temporarily.  Pretty much everything else was resolved at the end of the last novel, except for the fact that Robotnik referenced his "ultimate plan," which is referenced again in the very first part of Volume 2 anyway.  
  
            The universe the novel is set in is inferred to be the same as the SatAM universe, with some new characters, and Knuckles.  Knuckles wasn't in SatAM, but since the Floating Island is separate from the rest of Mobius, one could argue that Knuckles could still exist in the SatAM universe, even if he wasn't starring in the show, since he live separate from the crew on Mobius.  My Knuckles cast will probably end up based on the Archie Knuckles universe since said universe is excellent and offers a history of sorts to Knuckles' character and the Floating Island, though the start is probably set before Echidnapolis reappears; the Chaotix characters (which Sega originally created) are also heavily featured in the Knuckles side of the story.  The Sonic cast, though, is based on SatAM, **not** Archie.  
  
            So, enjoy the novel.  Read and review.  It is yet uncomplete, but hopefully I will actually this time around dedicate myself to finishing it – hopefully.  If I have the time to spare to write a chapter, when it is finished it will be posted, assuming that people actually like this novel.  
  
            Oh, and whenever you come across a little number in brackets like this[1], it's a footnote.  You can scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the note which the number is referring to.  Some of them refer to painfully obvious things for anyone who knows anything about Sonic; I'm not insulting your intelligence, but rather leaving the door open for people who don't know anything about Sonic or SatAM to be able to read it. ;)  
  
            Also, do consider that the source document looks much better than at does at fanfiction.net.  One big difference is that in my story, when a machine is talking, I use an appropriate font.  Since the font change won't show up on fanfiction.net, it may sometimes be unclear who's talking, since I used the font to make it obvious that it was a robot talking.  However, you can probably figure out just from the way they're talking if it's a SWATbot or figure out from the context if it's Nicole.  If you have any problems because of this, say so and hopefully I can clear things up.   
  
            Oh, and if you think the chapters are starting to get short, just look at chapter 5. =)  
  
            If you're ready to start reading, head to the next chapter; the novel begins there. =)  
  
            Enjoy,  
            Brandon, alias Escee "SC" Takeshi (www.escee.com)  
  
© 2000, 2001, 2003 Brandon/escee.com.  This is a fan-service work and as such many of the characters hereunto enclosed may be the trademarks of their creators, including but not limited to: Sega Corporation, DiC Entertainment, and Archie Publishing.  This work does not maintain any relationship nor carry any endorsement from any of those entities and does not reflect them.  



	2. One

        **DAWN OF THE WAR  
**

  
        Robotnik sat in his control chair, the nexus of his kingdom without citizens, his reign over emptiness, located in the control center of his lifeless megapolis Robotropolis.  From this chair, Robotnik could control, command, and survey all of Robotropolis, like a faceless god.  Unfortunately for Robotnik, unlike the gods of stories and lore, he was not omnipotent.  All-seeing, perhaps.  
        "Snively," said Robotnik, to his nephew and apprentice Snively, as he turned around in his chair to face his addressee, "is everything ready for the first stage of the ultimate attack?"  
        Robotnik was a stark contrast to his nephew.  Ivo Robotnik, or Julian by birth, was a very large man with an obvious weight equilibrium shift to his belly.  He had a large moustache, brown with a hint of red, and a bald head.  Snively, too, was bald, but unlike Robotnik, he had not a trace of hair on his face, sans a stray hair or two lonely on the plain of his scalp.  Snively was a short fellow, and this fact was exacerbated when standing against his uncle.  Snively also had a very small figure, and his height combined with his figure made him dwarfed in the presence of his uncle.  Snively's defining facial feature was his needle-like nose, which was often the object of mockery from his enemies.  
        "Yessir," said Snively, "the new civilization location has been fed into the computer for stage one."  
        "Good," replied Robotnik, turning around in his chair again, to face the screens of his many eyes.  To the lifeless wall, "Commence activation of ultimate attack stage one in twenty-four hours."  
        "Yes, Lord Robotnik," said the computer, "ultimate attack stage one will commence in twenty-four hours."  
        "My ultimate attack will encompass far more than could ever be imagined by that hated rat," said Robotnik to himself.  "This time, I will prevail!"  


* * *

  
              
        In Knothole, the hideaway of Sonic the Hedgehog and his band of Freedom Fighters, the day was beginning.  The sun was rising; a new day for the fighters was beginning.  The dawn was bleak but somehow it renewed the spirit.  'Twas this, or lies made it so.  
        Knothole was hidden away in the Great Forest, secluded from the empty reign of Robotnik, in a natural paradise amidst a desecrated world.  The underground portion of Knothole, guarded by a discreet tree stump, was almost a haven, a sanctuary, from the ever-watching eyes of Robotnik.  
        Sonic and his newfound acquaintance Caero[1] awoke.  Caero was a fox, but was yellow unlike most Mobian[2] foxes, usually orange.  This was the mark of Robotnik, and his generation-transcending reach.  Sonic sat up in bed, and then pulled on his shoes, created for him by his loved Uncle Chuck, designed to withstand the heat of friction caused by Sonic's trademark speed.  
        Sonic heard the sounds of life going on outside his hut; the bustle signified that Knothole was coming alive.  
        "Y'know, Sonic," said Caero, suddenly, "I'm thinking about returning to my clan.  I mean, I just don't fit in here, 'cuz I'm not a Freedom Fighter."  
        "Maybe we can get Sally to make you a Freedom Fighter."  
        "Naw, I don't want to cause any trouble," returned Caero, "and, besides, Sally seems to have something against me."  
        "That was because you weren't a Freedom Fighter, and she was just shocked I let you into Knothole, and, **besides," said Sonic, mimicking Caero's wording, "she's over it now."  
        "But my clan is probably missing me now, and," said Caero, before he was cut off by Sonic.  
        "Before you were talking about how you thought your clan didn't need you[3]!"  
        "Yeah, but I've thought about it some more."  
        "But you're a valuable asset to our purpose!"  
        "Well, maybe I'll consider it a bit more."  
        "That's better!"  
        With that exclamation of approval, Sonic left his hut, and walked into the open area of Knothole, in the middle of the circle of huts.  Sonic was at the center of the great clearing of Knothole; he could turn in all directions and see the border, near equidistantly.  Beyond the huts, further from the center of the village, were other facilities.  Sonic left his polar position and headed past the circle of huts, into the assembly hall.  
        Gradually, the assembly hall filled, as the other residents of Knothole rose for the day and filed in for the daily discussion of the day's events.  
        The chamber was filled with a plethora of species, each face unique, each voice different.  Knothole was a nondiscriminatory settlement, where all different backgrounds joined as one against a common cause, or at least in common refuge from a common fear, and a common enemy.  
        Princess Sally took the podium first.  She was a beautiful girl, a squirrel, and heir to the throne which she could not claim after Robotnik exiled her father and stole his crown.  
        "Okay, everyone," said Sally, her voice confident.  "We're all gathered here to discuss the day's events.  Who has suggestions?"  
        Bunnie raised her hand.  She had the scars of the new reign: half of her body had been turned into lifeless steel before Sonic had saved her from the man.  
        "Yes, Bunnie?" said Sally.  
        "Well, I think that y'all should take a break from fighting Robotnik after all that's happened lately[4]."  
        "Does anyone second Bunnie?"  
        Rotor raised his hand, and said, "I second!"  
        Rotor, the walrus, was the mechanical and technical brains of the group.  
        "Any objections?"  
        Nobody objected.  
        "Good," said Sally, "because I also think that we should rest before returning to fighting.  Dismissed!"  
        Everyone disbanded, and there was excitable chattering around.  After so much work, so much anxiety, so many burdens, after all, why not escape?  


* * *

  
          
        Later, in the recreational areas…  
        A pervasive happiness in an unhappy world filled the local air.  Tails and Rotor were outside throwing a football around, and Antoine and Bunnie were in the recreational lounge, playing pool.  Sonic was in the weight room, and Sally was swimming in the indoor pool.  Caero was still in Sonic's hut, thinking.  This pervasive joy did not reach Caero.  Everyone but for him was enjoying themselves.  


* * *

  
              
        Robotropolis, the next day…  
        Robotnik had the day before issued a command to commence stage one of his ultimate attack after twenty-four hours.  Twenty-four hours had passed.  
        "Commencing stage one," said the computer.  
        Robotnik grinned malevolently.  
        The Freedom Fighters had no idea what was going on.  


* * *

  
          
          
        Meanwhile, in Knothole…  
        Sonic finished his workout in the weight room, and decided to relax in the pool.  He got his sunglasses, and headed for the pool building.    
        When he entered the pool building, he saw Sally already in the pool.  Sally was wearing a blue bikini, and was happily swimming around, emanating – no, radiating blissful felicity.  
        Upon seeing Sonic, she exclaimed joyously, as if a little girl again, "Hi, Sonic!"  
        "Hiya, Sal," said Sonic.  "Havin' fun?"  
        "Yeah; it was a good idea to take a break from fighting!"  
        Sonic decided to take a swim, so he set his sunglasses on a poolside table, took off his shoes, and stepped into the water.  
        "I thought so," said Sonic.  "Even us Freedom Fighters need time to relax!"  
        Sally smiled.  Sonic now lay floating on his back, relaxing in the water, and enjoying the change from fighting Robotnik.  Sally and Sonic swam, carefree, unaware of Robotnik's plan, and the danger that not only they, but the world, the infinite, would soon be saturated, unabatedly, in.  


* * *

  
              
          
        Caero sat inside his mind, thinking.  He still didn't feel like he fit in with the Freedom Fighters; he would feel more comfortable at home, with his clan, he told himself again and again.  He would confront Sonic, again.  


* * *

  
          
        That evening, Sonic returned to his hut to find Caero still deep in thought.  Before Sonic could say anything, Caero spoke: "I still don't feel like I fit in here; I'd be more comfortable back home."  
        "But we can make you feel comfortable!"  
        "No, things here will never be like they were at home."  
        "Well," said Sonic, with a little sadness in his tone, "if you really want to go home, that's okay."  
        "Well, of course it's okay!  I can make my own decision!"  
        "Sorry," replied Sonic, "I didn't mean it that way."  
        "I'll visit you!"  
        This comment reminded Sonic of the fact that Caero, through Sonic's error[5], knew the location of Knothole.  
        "Caero," said Sonic, "you can't reveal the location of Knothole to **anybody**.  I'd like it if you came to visit, but you have to make sure that **nobody** sees where you're going; nobody must find the location of Knothole; you must be unseen.  I want you to swear an oath of secrecy."  
        "I swear," professed Caero, "that I will not reveal the location of Knothole to anyone and be cautious when coming here."  
        "Okay, Caero," said Sonic.  "Stay the night here and you can leave tomorrow."  
        "Good night," said Caero.  
        "Good night."  
        It was a good night, in obliviousness.  
  


* * *

[1] Sonic and Caero met in the first volume of _Take it All the Way_. His name is pronounced "k`eyerow"  
[2] Referring to Mobius, the planet on which this part of the story takes place.  
[3] Volume I  
[4] Bunnie is referring to the events in _Take it All the Way_ Volume I.  
[5] This is referring to Sonic's bringing Caero with him to Knothole in Volume I.  Sally considered it an "error."  
**


	3. Two

**2**

  
        High above Mobius, an autonomous civilization exists, so far a virgin to Robotnik's perversion.  A world unscathed by Robotnik's soul-sucking hand, it looms above Mobius, casting a shadow upon the ocean.  
        A red male echidna[6] was sitting by a lake, with his feet dangling in the water, and his shoes off.  Not long after, an armadillo joined him.  Through their speech, the armadillo revealed that the echidna's name was Knuckles: "Hey, Knuckles whatcha doin'?" and that the armadillo's name was Mighty: "Not much, Mighty, just thinking."  
        "Thinkin' 'bout what?"  
        "Just thinking…"  
        "Oh, well then, if ya want me, I'll be in my cave."  
        "Okay, Mighty."  
        "See ya, Knuckles."  
        About three minutes after that farewell, a ripple formed in the lake.  Then another ripple, and another, and another.  Then, Knuckles could hear a faint rumbling sound.  The rumbling got louder, and louder, until finally, a huge airship came above the horizon.  Knuckles put on his shoes, and quickly stood up to face it.  The airship flew over Knuckles' head, and landed some half-thousand yards away.  Knuckles ran toward the airship, but made sure to keep his distance.  He stayed hidden behind some scenery, and watched as the door to the airship opened.  An army of SWATbots[7] filed out.  The SWATbots headed in various directions.  Knuckles, now having need of Mighty, headed quickly to Mighty's cave.    
        He peered inside the cave.  There was an odd silence.  
        "Mighty?  You in there?"  
        No answer.  
        "It's me, Knuckles.  You said you'd be here if I needed you…"  
        Silence.  
        Knuckles stepped into the cave now, to question the silence.  
        Mighty wasn't there.  
        _"Those robots must have already taken him,"_ thought Knuckles.  


* * *

  
        From a clearing, Knuckles' figure faded into view, as he stepped out of the brush and thicket.  "Espio!" he shouted.  "Espio, are you here?"  
        All of a sudden, a chameleon faded into view.  The chameleon's name apparently was Espio.  
        "You sure are good at that blending-in stuff," commented Knuckles.  "I couldn't see you at all until you got rid of your camouflage!"  
        "Thanks," said Espio plainly.  "Now, what did you need?"  
        "Robots have arrived on the Floating Island[8]!  Lots of 'em!"  
        "What?  What are you talking about?"  
        "I saw a plane land and a lot of robots came out of it.  And then Mighty was missing from his cave.  He said he'd be there."  
        "Not cool.  Do you have a plan?"  
        "Sort of."  
        "What does that mean?"  
        "I have something that I want to try, but I don't know what to do after that."  
        "I'm all ears!"  
        "Well, I said they came in an airship," explained Knuckles, "and my 'sort-of' plan is to find their airship and see if we can find anything there."  
        "I guess it's worth a shot."  
        "Good," said Knuckles.  "Follow me."  
        The two figures set off, alone, but to be alone now was to be thankful.  


* * *

  
        Knuckles led the way back to the scenery near the airship.  When the coast was clear, Knuckles plunged out of the scenery and toward the airship.  He signaled to Espio to follow him.  Knuckles saw that the door to the airship was now closed, but quickly used his strong knuckles[9] to bash the door.  After about five blows, a the door was breached as Knuckles' blow tore a hole clear through.  Knuckles continued to enlarge the hole until it was large enough for him to climb through.  After Knuckles boarded the airship, Espio followed him onboard.  
        Knuckles saw that there were three SWATbots onboard as well.  One was watching what appeared to be video screens.  Another appeared to be inputting commands into a computer.  The last appeared to be patrolling the airship, but had not yet seen Espio and Knuckles.  
        Knuckles quickly sprung at the last SWATbot.  He clobbered the robot, and it fell to the ground.  Quickly, the first SWATbot rose to assist.  Espio joined Knuckles in battle.  The second SWATbot, through its computer, sent a message alerting the rest of the SWATbots to the intruders.  Espio jumped up and kicked the first SWATbot down in mid-air.  The second SWATbot stood and opened fire at Knuckles, using its small-capacity laser.  Knuckles dodged the blast and the SWATbot charged at Espio, but Espio recalled his abilities, being a chameleon, and vanished; the SWATbot was immediately confused.  Knuckles took advantage of the SWATbot's confusion, using his strong fist to dismantle the SWATbot.  Knuckles heaved the three destroyed robots out of the ship through the hole he had created in the door upon entering.  Knuckles had a quick surge of joy from glory, but his triumph was quickly interrupted by the metal clanking of SWATbots approaching, apparently responding to the second SWATbot's alert.  
        "Espio," said Knuckles, "try to get this airship off the ground.  I'll take care of the SWATbots that board in the meantime.  Stay in your camouflaged form!"  
        "Okay, Knuckles," said Espio, who could be heard, but not seen.  
        Two SWATbots boarded the airship, firing at Knuckles.  Knuckles, in mid-air, performed a kick.  One foot took out one SWATbot, and the other foot took out the other.  The SWATbots were knocked back by Knuckles' kick, and fell back out through the hole in the airship's door.  Espio, transparent specter, was meanwhile working to get the airship hovering off the ground.  Two more SWATbots boarded just as Espio got the airship flying.  The airship lifted slowly from the ground.  The SWATbots were confused, seeing nobody at the airship's helm.  In confusion, the SWATbots were pushed through the synthetic gateway at Knuckles' hand.  They tried to re-board, but at that point, the airship was too high off the ground and they were left gazing without real understanding or comprehension, like a pair of wide-eyed children.  
        Espio came back into sight, as he removed his cloak of invisibility and the specter was reanimated.  "Now what?"  
        "I dunno," replied Knuckles.  "How about getting this airship to hover without continuing upward, so we have time to plan something?  We have to get all these robots off our island!"  
        "You've got it."  
        Espio got to work on getting the airship to hover in place.  After a little work, Espio was able to get the airship to stop moving upward, but continue to hover, so it would be out of reach of the SWATbots.  It stood still, frozen in place as if held by an invisible hand.  In the violated sky, the airship was a radical, defying not only the angry words of gravity, but the wrath of time; it stood still.  
        A glance at the video monitors revealed the image of Mighty, taken prisoner in his own land by foreign intruders, alien captors.  Alongside Mighty in captivity was Vector the crocodile.  
        "Oh no, Espio! They've got Mighty and Vector!"  
        "Can you tell where they're holding them?" asked Espio, looking at the screen.  "I can't figure."  
        "It looks like they're near Charmy's home!"  
        "I hope they don't get him too!  As soon as I figure out the controls, we'll be en route."  
        "Okay, Espy, you do that!"  
        Espio saw that the basic directional and thrust controls were fairly simple to operate, and got the hang of the airship fairly quickly.  Knuckles and Espio headed for the area where Charmy, the bee, took residence.  There were around twenty SWATbots guarding Mighty and Vector.  As the shadow of the airship covered the land, Mighty and Vector looked upward, as its dark shadow covered them and then moved on.  They were now in fear, understandably thinking that the airship brought trouble, coming from nowhere bringing legions of faceless insensate to take away their home, speaking only in hollow tongues, their words without any cognition or reason.  The SWATbots, seeing the airship, had no thought of fear, but without emotion, they felt no solidarity, no unity, no bond.  The SWATbots were not expecting the airship; they did not know what to make of it; they were not told of it.  
        Through the video cameras, Knuckles could see that Charmy had been apprehended as well.  Charmy had been put in a metal and glass container to keep him from escaping.  
        "Espio, can you make the airship hover again?"  
        "Sure thing, Knuckles.  Then we'll have time to plan a rescue for Mighty and Vector."  
        "And Charmy, too.  Look at this video screen."  Knuckles motioned toward one of the screens which displayed Charmy in a small cylindrical bastille.  
        At this point, Espio had gotten the airship to hover, and the airship now hovered a short distance from where Vector and Mighty were being held.  Knuckles looked out a side window, and saw Vector and Mighty tied to a tree, with not only rope, but chain as well.  Knuckles tried to create a plan to free his two captive friends.  
        To Espio, he said, "Well, I can't think of a plan, so I guess I'll just have to go down there and try to free them without a plan… come up with it as we go along."  
        "Wait," said Espio, "I have a plan!"  
        "What?"  
        "Well, although this airship does not have a weapons system that **I** can access, we can fly the ship close to the ground and plow it into the robots.  That'll probably stop them, giving us an open chance to free Mighty and Vector!"  
        "That's a better plan than mine," laughed Knuckles.  "Let's try it!"  
        Espio slowly lowered the airship to about a foot off the ground, rotated the airship toward some of the robots, and then bolted forward at full throttle.  After _knocking the batteries out of the robots, Espio flew the airship straight up to re-examine the situation.  
        "Bad news, Knux," said Espio somberly.  "That maneuver worked well against those robots, but there sure are a lot left!"  
        "It may be risky," suggested Knuckles, "but I say we go down there and try to rescue our pals now.  We can't waste all day trying to stop the robots.  There's too many."  
        "Well, then," replied Espio, "how are we gonna do that?"  
        "We'll fly the airship down there," explained Knuckles, "and then, one of us will leave the airship and free our pals while the other guards the airship and pick up the other three.  Then, we'll escape onto the airship and fly to safety somewhere."  
        "Sounds great, but it's easier said than done.  One of us wouldn't stand a chance against a hundred robots trying to retake the airship."  
        "That's a chance we've got to take. I'll let you pick whether you want to guard or rescue."  
        "I'll go out there and rescue. Once I get Mighty and Vector free, it'll be three against a hundred!"  
        Espio smiled slightly, but quickly realized the seriousness of the situation.  
        Knuckles agreed, and said, "Espy, quick: show me the basic flying controls so I can make our escape."  
        Espio showed Knuckles the basics, and Knuckles seemed to understand.  
        "Espy, stand by the door, and get ready to jump out at my command.  Good luck!"  
        Espio went and stood ready by the busted door.  
        Knuckles directed the airship to slowly descend toward the ground; once it was around two feet off the ground, Knuckles gave the signal.  Espio jumped out of the airship, and landed on the ground about forty feet from where Mighty and Vector were being held.  
        Almost immediately, an "INTRUDER ALERT" could be heard, as if waiting, and an army of about fifteen SWATbots stormed toward Espio.  At Knuckles' will, the airship ascended, but Knuckles quickly saw that the strangers held the skies too; nowhere was free.  


* * *

  
        Espio hurriedly headed for Mighty and Vector.  Espio turned around to face the SWATbots.  Quickly, he employed the most typical of his chameleon abilities[10].  Now invisible to the confused SWATbots, Espio was able to obtain the key from behind the SWATbots' backs, and rushed quickly to free Mighty and Vector.  
        "Time to open a can of whoop-ass," snickered Mighty.  
        Espio, still invisible, freed Charmy, and then faded back into view, as if a great fog had just been dispelled.  
        "ALERT: THE PRISONERS HAVE ESCAPED.  PREPARE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS."  


* * *

  
        Knuckles had no plan.  
        "Crap," came his exclamation, being caught off-guard by the enemy airships.  "Do they know I'm not one of them?"  
        Knuckles glanced at the viewscreens and saw that his friends had been set free, but were now confronted with an army of fifteen SWATbots.  More were sure to be on the way.  
        "I don't have time to find out," said Knuckles. "I have to carry out the plan and get my friends onboard."  
        Knuckles descended in the airship and headed toward his friends.  
        Suddenly, the radio blared to life. "IDENTIFY YOURSELF."  
          


* * *

  
         "Time to open a can of whup-ass," snickered Mighty, who plowed toward the SWATbots.  
        Mighty knocked down five or so of the SWATbots, but put none out of commission.  
        "HOSTILE.  OPEN FIRE."  
        "Damn," said Vector, who avoided the laser blasts fired at him, thanks to his specialty in slick moves.   
Two of the fallen SWATbots rose again, and a barrage of laser blasts were fired.  Charmy quickly flew around the army of SWATbots.  
        "TARGET LOCKED," said at least seven SWATbots simultaneously.  
        The SWATbots with a target-lock turned around frantically trying to get Charmy in front of them.  Just then, Knuckles arrived in the airship, and the distraction was just what he needed.  Knuckles plowed the airship through the army of SWATbots, knocking them down, and possibly out.  
        "Get in!" shouted Knuckles, hovering the ship without bothering to land.  Charmy zipped in through the hole in the door; Espio, Vector, and Mighty rushed quickly toward the airship and clambered in.  Knuckles lifted off, and the airship ascended into the dark skies.  
  


* * *

[6] **e chid na** (e kid n ) **_n._**  [[ModL L, adder, viper Gr, ult. IE base *_eghi___- , snake Ger __egel , leech]] any of a family (Tachyglossidae) of small, toothless Australasian monotremes with a long, tapering snout and a sticky, extensible tongue; spiny anteater  
[7] SWATbots are Robotnik's simplest robots  
[8] The Floating Island is where this part of the story takes place.  The Floating Island used to be an island on Mobius, but when the lives of the inhabitants of Echidnapolis (a former echidna city on the Floating Island) were threatened, the intelligent echidna scientists used the infinite power of the Chaos Emeralds to defy gravity and lift their home (as well as the homes of other creatures on the island) into the air.  
[9] Knuckles is called Knuckles because of his strong and spike-shaped knuckles!  
[10] In this case, his ability to camouflage.  
_


	4. Three

**3**  
  


            Robotnik glared at the image of Knuckles on his screen.  
            "He's obtained one of our airships," stated Robotnik angrily, pointing at Knuckles on the viewscreen.  "Alert all robot-piloted airships in the area at once, Snively."  
            "Yes, sir," complied Snively.  "As you say, sir."  
            Snively then sauntered out of the room.  
            Robotnik turned his chair to face another screen, where he saw an army of SWATbots.  
            "Yes, yes, stage one is going as planned," smiled Robotnik.  
            Robotnik's laugh seared through the air and burned the sky.  


* * *

  
            Sonic awoke, tired, not wanting to face the daylight, but reluctantly pulling himself out of bed.  He strolled out of his hut, realizing that Caero had left during the night.  As he passed Sally's hut, Sonic called out, "I'm heading for Uncle Chuck's, okay?"  Hearing an affirmative response, Sonic headed out of Knothole and speeded toward Robotropolis.   
            Entering Robotropolis, Sonic carefully surveyed the area looking for robots.  Sonic rushed towards the compost heap in which Uncle Chuck's hideaway was located.  Sonic quickly looked around to make sure no robots could see what he was doing, and then opened the code-lock pad on the wall to his left.  Sonic punched in the code, and a hidden door in the garbage heap in front of him opened up.  Sonic quickly stepped inside and pressed a button on the wall to close the door behind him.  
            Sonic looked around in search of his uncle.  Sonic clambered down the stairs into the lower level of the hideaway, where he found his uncle.  
            Before Robotnik had usurped the throne, Chuck had served under the king.  He was called Sir Charles.  Now he no longer even had his body.  It had been transformed, made into metal and electronics, at Robotnik's hand, via the process of roboticization, which was a critical weapon for Robotnik, as the process, originally invented in the hopes of using it to heal the wounded by turning their damaged organics into something immune to disease, had the unfortunate side effect of taking the subject's free will; upon discovering this, the project was scrapped, but Robotnik wouldn't let the schematics be destroyed, and took them when he seized the throne.  The roboticizer was the machine that performed the deed.  Its inventor: Sir Charles Hedgehog.  
            "'Sup, Unc?"   
        Uncle Chuck had, like everybody else, lost his free will when he was robbed of his body.  It was returned to him during one of Robotnik's experiments, however.  Obviously – or at least intelligently – Charles did not make this known to Robotnik.  Thus he continued to be part of Robotnik's service.  He acted as a spy for Knothole – a spy from the inside.   
            "Hey, Sonic," said Uncle Chuck.  "I may have found something of interest to you."  
            Uncle Chuck turned back to the computer, which was connected to Robotnik's network.  He typed a few commands, and then pointed at the screen.  
            "I don't know what this is," said Uncle Chuck.  
            Sonic leaned over to see what Uncle Chuck was pointing at.  
            "PROJECT UA," read Sonic aloud.  
            "Yes," said Uncle Chuck.  "I don't have access to it, though. Its level of classified security is too high. I have, however, noticed that some interesting activity is going on."  
            "What?" asked Sonic.  
            "It appears an interestingly large number of robots have been deployed on the Floating Island."  
            Uncle Chuck activated a viewscreen which showed large armies of SWATbots on the Floating Island.  
            "I don't know what exactly this deployment serves to accomplish, but it certainly intrigues me. I suppose it could be linked with 'Project UA,' although I can't access that information," elaborated Uncle Chuck.  
            "Hmm," said Sonic.  "Well, thanks for the info as usual, Unc. I'll be sure to let the rest of the gang know about it."  
            "No problem, Sonic," smiled Uncle Chuck.  "I hope to see you again soon."  
            "I hope so too," replied Sonic as walked upstairs; he then opened the door and walked out.  


* * *

  
Knothole…   
            Sonic entered the hidden village of Knothole, and immediately headed for Sally's hut to tell her what he had been told by his uncle.  Finding that she wasn't there, Sonic headed for Tails' hut.  
            "Hey, Tails," called Sonic.  
            "Hey, Sonic," replied Tails.  "What's up?"  
            "Have you seen Sally?"  
            "I think she's underground, in Rotor's workshop."  
            "Alright, thanks, Tails," said Sonic.  "Later, bud!"  
            "Later, Sonic."  
            Sonic headed for the secret tree-stump, which served as a gateway to the underground portion of the Freedom Fighters' Knothole.  Sonic cautiously looked around, and then opened the stump and slid down through it.  Sonic, now inside the underground portion of Knothole, headed for Rotor's workshop.  He knocked on the door.  
            "Just a minute," called a voice from inside.  
            Half a minute or so later, Rotor came to the door and unlocked it.  Sonic opened the door.  
            "Is Sally there?" asked Sonic.  
            Rotor nodded, and stepped aside, allowing Sonic to enter.  
            Sally looked up, and said, "Sonic, what are you doing here?"  
            "I just got some info from Uncle Chuck," replied Sonic.  
            Sally nodded.  
            "Apparently, Robotnik has put tons of robots on the Floating Island," explained Sonic, "but that's all we really know right now. Unc doesn't know why, and he can't access any info that may tell us why."  
            "Hmm," said Sally.  
            "We should at least check it out," said Sonic.  
            "I guess we can," replied Sally.  
            "Soon?"  
            "Tomorrow, we'll inform everyone, okay?"  
            "Okay, later, Sal."  
            "Later, Sonic."  
            Sonic stepped out and Rotor closed the door behind him.  
            "_I wonder what they're working on, anyway?_" thought Sonic.  
            Sonic shrugged, and strolled toward the exit from the underground.  
  
Topside, Knothole Village…   
            "Hi, sugah-hog," called Bunnie, as Sonic passed.  
            "Hey, Bunnie!" grinned Sonic.  "Do you know what Rotor and Sally are up to?"  
            "Nah, I don't know," replied Bunnie.  "All I've heard is that it has something to do with 'The Void.'"  
            "Eh, it's not that important anyway," said Sonic.  "I was just wondering."  
            Sonic looked up into the zenith, the sky now darkened, a cloak of studded black spanning across the firmament.  
  



	5. Four

**4**

  
  
            Espio, now at the controls of the stolen airship, looked frustrated, as he tried to figure out how to operate the weaponry.  It was now late at night, and the skies were dark.  The island was under an omnipresent shadow.  
            "Have you found anything?" asked Knuckles.  
            "I may have found part of the weapon system, but it doesn't even seem to have any power," replied Espio.  "I don't know what to do!"  
            Espio continued to work on the weapons system, trying to find where they were connected to the controls.  
            "Espio!" shouted Knuckles, startling Espio, who quickly turned around.  "Look!"  
            Espio turned back toward the controls, and saw two airships closing in on their position.  Suddenly, the radio came to life again.  
            "OUR LORD HAS NOTIFIED US OF YOUR ALIGNMENT. SURRENDER AT ONCE OR WE WILL BE FORCED TO OVERTAKE YOUR SHIP."  
            "Damn!" shouted Vector.  
            "What are we supposed to do?" asked Mighty, worried.  
            "We can't let them get us," said Knuckles.  
            "Well, what are we supposed to do, then?" snapped Vector.  
            "YOUR WEAPONS SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN LOCKED DOWN. DON'T BOTHER TRYING TO ACTIVATE THEM."   
            "There goes that idea," said Espio.  
            "You rammed into the robots, didn't you?" asked Charmy.  "Can we ram into the airships?"  
            "Won't we take as much damage as we give?" asked Espio.  
            "How can we run from them?" asked Mighty.  "They're all over the Floating Island. If we take out a few, there's still nowhere for us to hide!"  
            "YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO SURRENDER."  
            "Crap," cried Knuckles.  "We don't have much time!"  


* * *

  
Knothole Village, midnight…  
  
            Sonic lay in his bed, thinking.  
            "_What could it mean?_" asked Sonic to himself.  "_Robotnik invading the Floating Island… is he after the Chaos? Possibly, but there must be more to it than that. The number of robots was insane. There must be more to it than meets the eye. Hopefully, tomorrow I'll see it for myself._"  
            Sonic turned onto his side and dozed off.  Sleep came and it was a refuge.  


* * *

  
Floating Island Airspace…   
            "RESISTANCE IS FUTILE. YOU HAVE LEFT US NO CHOICE BUT TO OVERTAKE YOUR SHIP."  
            "We don't have much of a choice," said Charmy.  "Ram into them before they overtake us!"                 "But…"  
            "What else are we going to do? We don't have any time!"  
            Espio pushed the throttle forward, and flew at full-torque toward the first enemy airship.  The airship shook violently upon impact with the enemy airship.  
            "Hold on, everybody!"  
            "PREPARE TO BE FIRED UPON."  
            Espio pushed the aircraft into reverse, and then rammed into the enemy airship again.  The second airship opened fire upon Espio and company's airship.  
            "Hit the second airship!" cried Knuckles.  "If nothing else, we might be able to knock out its weaponry."  
            Espio turned toward the second enemy airship and headed toward it, full throttle.  Apparently, the impact on the first airship had disabled its weaponry, as it didn't fire; the second airship, however, did.  Its blast hit the side of the ship, and the lights inside flashed as a result of the surge.  Espio charged into the second enemy airship.  His own ship shook violently.  
            "I don't think this ship can take much more of this bashing!" cried Espio.  
            "Let's get out of here!" cried Charmy.  
            "But they know who we are already," said Knuckles.  
            "This ship can't take any more of this," said Espio.  "We don't have much of a choice."  
            Espio pushed the controls into vertical, and pulled the ship up and away from the enemy airships.  
            "Let's hope they can't shoot us," commented Mighty.  
            "They'll just get reinforcements to shoot us down anyway," said Vector.  
            "Maybe we should try an' hide somewhere," said Charmy.  
            "Damnit!" cried Knuckles.  "These bastards have taken over our home!"  
            "I know," said Vector quietly, and then gradually raised his voice.  "What the hell are we supposed to do now? Hide somewhere? They'll find us eventually!"  
            The ship had been cruising along, and now Espio slowed it, and lowered the aircraft.  
            "We might be safe here at least for a while," said Espio.  "We won't be on the ground, and we'll be a pretty fair distance away from the original location of the robots."  
            "They'll find us eventually," said Vector.  
            "Yeah, they probably will," sighed Charmy.  "But at least we'll be safe for a while."  


* * *

  
            The craft lowered onto a large wooden platform built into the trees of a large forest.  Wooden walkways, bridges, and huts spawned from the platform.  It was as if taken from the brush of a visionary artist.  
            Knuckles stepped out of the airship, and looked around him.  "What is this place?"  
            "I don't know exactly," said Espio, stepping out of the airship, the engine stopped, "but it seems to be uninhabited. We should be able to at least spend the night here."  
            Vector and Mighty filed out of the airship following Espio, and they looked around to see the sights of the beautiful forest around them.  Charmy flew out of the broken door and hovered alongside.  
            "This place is fascinating," said Knuckles.  "Who created it? Why did they abandon it?"  
            "Maybe they didn't abandon it," said Charmy.  
            Said Mighty, "Yeah, maybe they were driven from it like we were driven from our homeland."  


* * *

  
            The sky stood still.  Even the stars seemed to stop twinkling.  Maybe they had died.  
            Where had they come from?  The intruders – who were they?  Why so many?  All of this all at once.  All of them and just a few of us.  Will they find us here?  What if they find us during the night?  Maybe they'll be gone in the morning.  Don't be silly.  They don't sleep.  
  



	6. Five

**5**  


  
        Morning came.  What a nightmare.  The dream felt almost real.  Tangible, it could be touched and felt.  Tell the others; maybe they'll be as fascinated by the dream as you were.  
        "That was no dream."  
        That was no dream.  
        The world is gone.  


* * *

  
        Morning came.  Knothole lived again.  Sonic still lay in his refuge.  Suddenly the shelter was ablaze, and Sonic was evicted.  He sat up startled, started from his blazing sleep.  He realized quickly that the assembly had already started, and rushed toward the hall.  
        As expected, the assembly was already in session.  As Sonic entered the room, the collective gaze turned to meet him.  They spoke not, but it was implied that an answer to their stares was expected.  So, it came.  "Sorry I'm late."  With the response fulfilled, the collective eyes turned back to meet the speaker.  Sonic was seated.  
        The speaker was Rotor.  As such, Rotor spoke, shifting his eyes back from the entrance to the collective.  
        "We are prepared to embark. Suspicious activity on the Floating Island beckons for our presence. Sonic, Tails, Sally, Antoine, and any civilian who wishes to volunteer will depart on the Tornado XL in three hours."  
        There was a voice.  "Ah volunteer!"  It was Bunnie.  
        "I said civilian volunteers, Bunnie.  You are needed to maintain correspondence with Uncle Chuck regarding the operation.  I have work I must attend to."  
        "Aw, fine."  
        From the back of the room, there was another voice.  
        "Well, I'll volunteer."  
        Again the collective gaze turned to meet the speaker.  
        The speaker was Caero.  
        Sonic didn't turn his gaze with the collective immediately.  A few beats.  And then his gaze turned as well, to meet the object of the collective gaze.  
        Sonic was justifiably surprised.  
        "Hey—"  
        Caero cut him off.  "This doesn't mean I've decided to stay here, but if you want my help I'll join you on your mission."  
        Rotor nodded.  "You have my permission unless anyone objects."  No one did.  
        "All right, then.  Any civilians who decide between now and an hour before noon that they'd like to volunteer are welcome to show up at the airstrip for departure.  Sonic, Tails, Sally, and Antoine – and Caero, don't forget.  Three hours, airstrip.  Assembly is now open."  
        Rotor stepped down.  


* * *

  
        It was an hour until noon.  
        Antoine arrived at the airstrip, completing the enlisted group.  Tails, from the foot of the Tornado XL, a much larger airplane than the Tornado designed to seat many more, spoke.  "That's everyone, right? Then hop on in and we'll be off!"  
        The crew started filing in.  Sally had just stepped on board when an indistinct sound drew everyone's attention, and turned their gaze clean around.  The sound repeated, and drew nearer, and now you could see a figure become distinguishable and it was running closer.  Now the words came closer and you could start to wrap your mind around them; now they could be made out.  "Wait!  Wait!"  Pause, and then the words came again.  The figure was slowly unfogged, and became clearer as it came closer; its details slowly emerged from the fog, and then it was near.  The figure, a wolf, now reached the crew and stopped, bending down to catch his breath, for it had run the other way from him.  He was of medium build, probably in his late twenties, his fur a light grey with streaks of darker fur.  
        After heaving for some moments, the wolf straightened his posture again, looked up, and extended his hand.  "I'm Laine; decided to volunteer."  
        Sonic brushed past the crew to answer Laine's gesture, shaking his hand, and forgiving Laine's apology for being late.  
        They boarded.  
        The XL Tornado lifted off, into the cerulean welkin and the expansive azure.  


* * *

  
        The radio buzzed.  Sally reached over to turn up the volume, and the casual conversation among the group subsided to listen.  
        "Y'all, it's Bunnie!  Are y'all there?"  
        Sally depressed a button on the side of the radio.  "We're here, Bunnie.  Hearing you loud and clear."  
        "Ah'm just reportin' news from Uncle Chuck."  
        A pause.  
        "He says he's noticed the bots actin' strange. Says it looks like they's lookin' foh somethin'.  Scouting 'round; splittin' intah patrols. He doesn't know what tah make of it, though."  
        A pause.  
        "Oh, an' he noticed an alert was posted. A patrol ship on the Floatin' Island was stolen. Maybe they's lookin' for that."  
        Another pause.  
        Sally depressed the button.  "I don't know what to make of it either, for certain, but thanks for keeping us posted, Bunnie."  
        "The pleasure is mine, Sally-girl."  
        Static.  
        Tails turned around in the pilot's seat, looking over its shoulder.  
        "We should be arriving on the Floating Island within a few minutes. Prepare for landing."  


* * *

   
        The sky was clear, perfect, serene.  A bird pierced the perfect blue.  A flock of five followed, then scattered, darting in all directions.  The Tornado cut into the perfect blue, its propellers creating the effects of its namesake, the foliage on the trees below the sky's violated perfect blue now convulsing, cowering away from the newcomer.  It landed, the propellers abruptly turned in reverse and then stopped, and the trees relaxed their apprehension, leaning back in toward the plane.  
        The hatch opened; the crew disembarked.  
        Sonic was first out, and, looking around, he remarked, "I don't see anyone."  
        Next out was Sally.  She pointed.  "That looks like it could be an encampment over there."  
        Next out was Laine.  He peered.  "I see movement over there. Pretty distant, though."  
        Sally pulled out Nicole[1] and flipped her open.  "Nicole, can you tell us what's located in that encampment?"  
        "Processing, Sally."  
        "There appear to be about three SWATbots patrolling the area."  
        "Think they can see us?"  
        "If they could, it'd probably be too late now to do anything about it. And if they did see us, they'd probably already be coming this way."  
        Laine peered again.  "Still movement, but it doesn't look to be coming any closer."  
        Tails looked up, and quickly uttered, "sssssshhhhhh…"  
        A Robotnik-made patrol ship flied overhead.  Everyone was silent.  
        "This was being much close, non?" Antoine said shakily.  
        "I don't think it saw us."  
        Sonic turned back to the group.  "Should we follow it?"  
        "Nicole, can you gather its destination?"  
        "Negative.  
        "Using its current trajectory, however, I can predict a line of travel across the island."  
        A holograph display of the Floating Island appeared, and a line of trajectory was slowly drawn across it.  
        Sonic cut in.  "Yo, Nicole, where are the Emeralds kept?"  
        A beacon lit up in the holograph.  "The Chaos chamber is here, Sonic."  
        The beacon was not on the line of trajectory.  
        Sally commented. "Well, it looks like it's not heading there; at least not now."  
        "Well, I'm gonna try an' follow it, then, before it gets too far away," Sonic said, donning a wristband.  "Nicole, track me.  You dudes catch up with me later."  
        "Affirmative, Sonic.  Tracking wristband signal now."  
        "It's Sonic time!"  
        And he was off.  
        "He's always like that, isn't he?"  Caero spoke.  
        Tails chuckled.  
        "Un jour, his recklishness is to be catching up to him."  
        "Hey, you guys up to kicking some robot ass? The computer – Nicole – said there were only three, right? We can take 'em," Caero suggested with a grin.  
        "Sacre bleu; you are just like him. Insouciant," snapped Antoine.  
        "Well…" Sally said apprehensively.  
        "I could use some practice," said Laine.  
        "I'm up for it!" chirped Tails.  
        Antoine sighed.  
        Sally closed Nicole and the crew headed out into the wide open space ahead of them.  The clouds came from nowhere and invaded the once-perfect blue.  


* * *

  
        The airborne shell for the empty head moved forward.  Behind it, Sonic followed, trying to keep in the foliage so as not to be seen.  He had been following the patrol ship for a while now, and finally he could see something in the distance.  
        This whole time following the airship, the horizon had yielded only nature.  
        Now there was not just a change.  There was a usurping.  There was an army of robots, a huge encampment.  Crude structures dotted the horizon.  It didn't matter where the ship was going now.  Sonic now knew his destination.  


* * *

  
        The band approached the small encampment, now just outside, hidden under the canopies.  There was a tent, and two SWATbots guarded the entrance.  
        "I'm ready."  
        "Ready for what, mon ami?"  
        "We don't need a plan. Just draw your sword, buddy. Now."  
        Laine charged.  
        Caero followed him.  
        Next Tails, then Sally, and finally Antoine, sword drawn, jumped from cover.  The SWATbots were immediately alerted and tried to acquire a target.  
        Laine forced himself into one of the guards, pushing his full weight onto it.  The SWATbot fell to the ground.  Caero leaped at it, falling onto the fallen guard, crushing it.  He tore its arm from its socket and lobbed it off into the air.  
        Antoine raised his blade and thrust it into the second guard.  It went clean through.  For a second, the guard was paralyzed, and then it advanced again.  Tails was above it, lifting it into the air, though not very high; it was a struggle for Tails, but the guard was disoriented and was felled by Caero.  Antoine plunged his blade into the metal again, and Caero's foot severed its head from its body, and in the same instant, Caero felt a sharp pain in his shoulder.  
        He turned to face his attacker, and saw another SWATbot exiting the tent, weapon raised.  It fired again, and in the same moment Sally was behind it, felling it, jarring its attack from its course.  
        Now Sally was felled, as a fourth SWATbot came out of the tent, and Sally was between it and the robot she had felled.  Antoine rushed to defend her, impaling the fourth robot.  The third, from the ground, knocked Antoine to the ground; his blade slipped from his hand, and he was on the ground, his blade still in the robot's chest.  Tails now had Laine in tow; he didn't have to go very far, as Laine fell from the sky and crushed the third robot beneath him.   Caero, one shoulder still stinging, swung his other arm at the fourth robot, sending it to the ground.  He pulled Antoine's sword from it and plunged it back in again, at a different spot.  He pulled it out and plunged it in.  Again.  And then it stopped convulsing; Caero pulled it out and tossed it to the ground.  Antoine pulled himself to his feet, helped Sally to hers, and picked up his sword.  
        Laine smirked.  "See? Piece of cake."  
        Antoine rolled his eyes.  
        Sally pulled back the curtain that covered the entrance to the tent, and peered inside.  Then, she parted the curtain and entered, the curtain falling back into place behind her.  After a few moments, Tails also scampered inside the tent.  
        Inside, Sally was standing, her head pivoting around and her eyes searching, but her feet clutching the ground.  Gradually, the rest of the crew began to join Sally and Tails in the tent.  Sally spotted a computer panel, and her feet let go.  Spotting an interface, she pulled out Nicole.  Interfacing Nicole with the equipment, she made her direction.  "Download all data regarding Robotnik's operations on the Floating Island."  
        "Downloading, Sally."  
        They waited.  


* * *

  
        Sonic ducked behind a makeshift structure with a low roof, clinging to the outside wall, as a patrol marched past him.  He was impatient.  He had succeeded; he had found what appeared to be the makeshift base of operations, but now he had to wait for everyone else to catch up.  He didn't think Sally would be so forgiving if he were to go and start a fight before she arrived.  So he waited.  If he had a plan, he'd probably grow tired of waiting and just get started, but as it were, he'd have to wait for someone else to give him an idea.  He didn't even know what he was looking for.  Damn.  He hadn't thought to bring a radio.  He'd just have to wait for them to follow the proverbial bread crumbs his wristband had left for Nicole.  He peered discreetly around the corner, and, seeing the coast was clear, ducked into the shadows to wait to be found.  To be found hopefully by Sally before a SWATbot.  


* * *

  
        "Download complete."  
        Sally disconnected Nicole from the terminal.  
        They had accomplished something, apparently, but Laine couldn't visualize the big picture in his head.  "Now what?"  
        "Well, with that out of the way, Nicole, can you lead us to Sonic?"  
        The holographic image of the island again appeared.  A few moments later, a flashing beacon appeared.  
        "The beacon is Sonic's location."  
        "And—" Sally was cut off.  
        "And you are located at this point."  Another beacon appeared.  "The quickest route by foot, by my calculations, according my knowledge of the island's topology, is here."  A vector illuminated, and was then cropped to form a segment, the two flashing beacons its endpoints.  
        "You've got all the answers, Nicole."  
        They followed the prescription.  


* * *

  
        "Nicole, have you been able to interpret any of the data you downloaded?"  
        She pushed a branch aside and continued walking.  The crew was following her lead, and she following the path glowing in Nicole's projection.  
        "Much of the data I downloaded was beyond the terminal's security clearance, and is heavily encrypted.  However, from the data that the terminal was cleared to access and decrypt, I have been able to make a few inferences.  
        "Sonic is at the center, or what the reports call the 'Gathering.'  Most units report there for assignments or communal with Robotnik.  In addition, the Gathering houses the majority of Robotnik's equipment set up on the island, and is as such heavily guarded.  While not disclosed in the data I have analyzed, I infer that it is possible we may be able to find a terminal there that has clearance to decrypt the classified data I was unable to read.  
        "In addition, I have determined that the airship that was stolen was taken by an echidna, male, known only as Knuckles.  He is a descendent of the House of Edmund, whose role for generations has been to guard the island and its sacred emeralds, which keep it afloat in the air.  The echidna is accompanied by a number of others, but their names and histories are not disclosed in the document.  
        "Patrols are indeed, as suggested, searching for the echidna and his companions."  
        "Do you know what the patrols' orders are?"  She stepped over a high root, and continued forward.  
        "Their orders are only to search the island and report their findings, taking hostage any enemies of the reign they encounter. They are to take the echidna alive.  
        "It also says to expect retaliation."  
        "What vague orders," commented Caero.  
        "Indeed," agreed Laine, ducking under a branch.  
        "Maybe the echidna can help us," said Tails cheerfully.  
        "If Robotnik is not finding him, zee etchidna, mon ami, what is making you think we can be finding him?" was Antoine's tentative reply.  
        "It's worth a try," said Tails dejectedly with hesitation.  
        "I do wonder if Sonique is being to do anything stoo-pid."  
        "Sonic's location hasn't changed in the last ten minutes," Nicole said.  
        "We're almost there," said Sally.  
        And they were.  They could see the infestation now on the horizon.  
        "There is being so many of them. Zut allors, so very very many of them. It is being suisid`e!"  


* * *

  
        Sonic heard a noise, and was startled; he had almost fallen asleep.  Now he turned around to confront the source of the sound.  He saw nothing.  He turned back around, hesitantly.  Must have been nothing.  
        And then a hand clasped Sonic's mouth, silencing him.  "Sssshhhhhhhhh; don't speak."  
        That was Sally's voice.  
        "Don't speak too loudly; they'll hear us."  
        "Nicole."  
        "Yes, Sally?"  
        "Do you have a map of this encampment?"  
        "Negative. The Gathering was only recently deployed. The map has not yet been compiled."  
        "What's the plan?" Sonic asked, impatient.  
        "We are to be going back and are to be telling zee Auncle Char`ells zat which we are seeing."  
        Sonic was quick to retort.  "Shut up, Ant."  


* * *

  
        The gray, metallic walls were barren, devoid of all.  Opposite them were the many eyes, the omniverant eye of a king of dust.  The door rattled open, and the short Snively stepped into the room.  
        "Sire," came his nasal voice.  
        Lord Robotnik swiveled his chair to face his nephew.  
        "I've finished tracking down the location of the stolen airship, your lordship."  
        "Excellent, excellent. Dispatch a patrol at once."  
        And then he turned back to his sight.  


* * *

  
        "It looks like they're assembling or something," Caero said, pointing to a group of SWATbots that were arranging themselves into two lines.  
        There were about twelve of them, now fourteen, now sixteen.  
        All at once they turned to face their perpendicular left.  
        And then they marched.  
        "Hey, Sal, I think we should follow them."  
        "Well, I guess we don't really have a better plan."  
        "Alright, let's go; follow me, everybody!"  
        "Zut alors."  


* * *

  
        The patrol had seemingly reached their destination, as they came to a halt.  Barely audible was their announcements that signified they were scanning the area.  Sonic and the crew's silent pursuit of the machines had led them deep into the forest.  The canopies were high here, and filtered the light, creating blotches of sunlight on the forest floor.  Light, dark, light, dark; the shadows cast by the canopies were not perfect, but porous, and thus the light met the ground as if it were playing a game.  
        Sonic and the crew slowly crept closer, making sure to keep hidden, but now being within earshot of the droning.  
        "Scanning, scanning.  Scan conclusive.  Heat signatures located in the range of 50 meters to 150 meters, elevated from the ground in excess of 20 meters."  
        "Commence apprehension routine."  
        "Affirmative."  
        The SWATbot patrol turned as one and marched forward, and then stopped.  Five SWATbots now looked upward, at what appeared to be a section of plank, drew their weapons, and then fired, as one body.  
        The resulting concussion was loud and unified.  Sounds of confusion and surprise were heard, scattered, from the trees above.  The five skyward-looking SWATbots fired again.  The plank above gave way and split apart, two sections formed and both falling in opposite directions, now vertical, and perpendicular to their original form.  The figure of a crocodile gave way simultaneously as the plank too gave way.  More commotion, now much more alarmed, came in response.  The crocodile managed to grab onto the edge of the gap and prevent the inevitable fall to the ground.  Before the SWATbots could react, the figure pulled itself back up onto the platform above, and it was gone.  
        It took the patrol a few moments to grasp the preceding, but one of the frontmost SWATbots proclaimed, almost as if in defiance to the bodies above them, "Pursue and apprehend."  They started moving forward, in the direction the crocodile had gone, and half of them now raised their weapons and began firing at the platforms above; the resulting commotion told them that they had not yet lost their prey.  
        The commotion above was indistinguishable, but it was still evident when more unique voices were added to it.  The commotion, already panicked, became yet more so.  Sonic and the crew, amidst the confusion, advanced unnoticed; everyone else's attention was already held with an iron grip of urgency.  As the patrol continued forward, now more rapidly, firing at the planks above, every so often their fire once again breached the platform and Sonic could sometimes see a flash of hurried feet just having cleared the gap.  And then, in an instant, the light, filtering through the lofty leaves, faced yet another obstacle, as a gliding figure left the walkways in the trees and was airborne; the figure would have passed well over Sonic's head had he been a few yards ahead.  A few of the SWATbots saw the gliding shadow and turned to fire, but they could only get a few shots off before they just fell to the ground.  
        "Lock-on failed.  Failure tracing attacker.  Failure to compute.  Register fault."  
        And then another pair of the machines fell to the ground.  Now an armadillo was leaping down from the platform above and touching down.  "There's too many!"  
        "Run!"  This advice came from the trees.  The crocodile touched the soil several meters behind the armadillo, and he was running, looking over his shoulder, and again shouting backward, "Run!"  
        The armadillo heeded his advice, but could not lengthen the distance between him and his pursuers.  The SWATbots fired on him, and many shots swept past him, until one brought him down.  He was apprehended, but his apprehender was violently knocked backward to the ground by an invisible force.  The three most closely neighboring SWATbots responded and swung their arms as if to retaliate against this phantom attacker.  A thud was heard, as one of the SWATbot's arms appeared to connect with something, as it seemed to have met friction in the air.  Another thud was heard coming from a tree just a meter from the SWATbot, and then a chameleon faded into view at the base of the tree; he appeared to have suffered a blow to the head and lay subdued.  
        Sonic said to the rest of the crew in a low voice, "Stay hidden here."  He stood and stepped out from cover.  He was behind the SWATbots and they could not yet see him, but before he could get but a yard from his friends' shadowy hiding place, Sonic felt a blunt pain in his back, and he was tackled to the ground, knocked into the brush on the opposite side of the clearing.  A gloved hand clenched his throat.  
        "Are you behind this?" came the enraged voice of his assailant.  "What do you want with our homeland?"  
        "Behind what?  Who the hell are you?"  
        "I'm the one asking the questions here.  Who are you and why are you invading our land?"  
        "Whoa, whoa, hold on a sec.  You mean these robots?  They're Robuttnik's, not mine!  I wanna kick his ass too!"  
        "I'm not buying into your crock of shit.  You appeared the same day they did.  Do you actually expect me to believe your lies?"  
        The grip on Sonic's throat tightened.  Infuriated by the increased pressure, Sonic was able to free his arm, trapped under his body, and knock his assailant backward.  Sonic stood.  He could now recognize his assailant as the same figure he had seen gliding from the platforms in the trees.  He was an echidna, dreadlocked, red, and his gloves covered menacing knuckles.  He was obviously very distressed and panic-stricken, acting very jumpy and pumped with adrenaline.  
        "Look, I don't know who the hell you think you are, but I'm Sonic, and I think we both want to kick the same ass: Robotnik's.  I'm on your side; you're all mixed up."  
        The echidna was not satisfied in the least, and pulled himself to his feet to charge at Sonic again.  Sonic ducked to the side and avoided the charge.  The echidna ran past Sonic and then turned around.  The echidna's attention was now diverted, as he now, out of the corner of his eye, saw a SWATbot walking toward the chameleon, and the armadillo in the grip of another.  
        "I don't have time to fight with you," said the echidna quickly, already rushing toward the new object of his attention.  "I've more important things.  I'm sure we'll meet again."  
        The echidna was now to the chameleon ahead of the SWATbot; a blow from his fist sent the robot to the ground, and the echidna quickly helped the chameleon to its feet.  He was now rushing to the armadillo's captor.  A quick blow loosened its grip on the armadillo and the armadillo slipped out of its grasp before it could react.  The echidna was now climbing a tree, with the two liberated in tow, and now leaping from its peak with the armadillo hanging from one arm and the chameleon from the other.  And he was gone as quickly as he had come.  
  


* * *

[1] Sally's pocket computer.  Nicole basically has a mind of her own and is regarded as family and friend.  



	7. Six

        **6  
**

          
        Adrenaline pumped through his veins.  The only thing on his mind was getting away, fast, and this objective was regarded with the utmost urgency.  The green above him and the specks of blue that dotted the natural ceiling were blurred.  He saw only a blur, and more space ahead for the taking.  Finally his feet touched the ground, his heart still pounding.  "Keep running!" he shouted, releasing the grips on his arms and not stopping a beat.  The second he realized he was no longer airborne was the second his feet started bounding forward.  
        He looked back to see that his friends, Espio especially, could not keep up, exhausted.  He saw no signs of his enemies but knew that they were not safe.  
        Knuckles stopped and allowed his friends to catch up.  
        "Where's Vector?" asked Knuckles.  
        "Last I saw him, he was running," Mighty responded between quick breaths.  "He told me to run, but a robot caught me. I think he got away. He was pretty far off when the robot shot me."  
        "But who knows where he is now," Knuckles responded, and then he looked up abruptly, having had an epiphany.  "I almost forgot about Charmy. What happened to him?"  
        Mighty replied, "I'm sure he got away. They might not have even noticed hi—"  
        Espio cut him off.  He too appeared to have had an epiphany.  "Wait, I just realized something.  The direction Vector went in… I'm pretty sure the airship was in that direction."  
        "Damn, if he went there… I'm sure the robots will find him there," said Knuckles.  
        Espio concurred.  "They might even already be waiting for him."  
        "Let's go."  


* * *

  
        Vector was tall and agile.  His agility had saved him before, and only because of it had he escaped.  Now he was relegated to sneaking around, concealing his self and his advances, yet advancing.  _Where was it, again?  Vector was trying to remember where they had left the ship.  _It should be around here somewhere._  If he found it, he was sure it would allow him to escape, and perhaps even find his friends.  
        Vector spotted the airship on the platform above, a hundred yards or so away.  He halved that distance, and then leaped high into the air, just barely high enough for him to grab onto the edge of the platform.  He pulled himself up and clambered to his feet.  Now he was heading for the airship, hastening his step until he was almost sprinting toward what could be a miracle.  The oasis disappeared.  He was fifteen yards away, and then a rumbling sound seemed to come out of nowhere.  A small patrol ship lifted out of its hiding place in the leaves of the highest canopies and then quickly thrust itself zooming over Vector's head.  Two, now three, now four SWATbots jumped out of the ship and landed but a few yards behind him.  He quickly became panicked, and renewed his chase for the airship.  He was so close.  The airship was but a few feet away, and he was reaching for the door.  It wouldn't open.  Hurriedly, with the SWATbots behind him closing the gap, Vector tried again to open the door.  He tried again and again.  It wouldn't open.  Vector continued his futile attempts to open the door, when all of a sudden the door answered his incessant requests, sliding open.  


* * *

  
        It was not long before this that Knuckles, Espio, and Mighty had reached the scene.  They stood from a lower vantage point, looking up at Vector and the airship and the robots.  They watched Vector panicking in his hurry to open the door of the airship.  When finally the door slid open, the mirage revealed its true colors.  Vector was overjoyed when the door slid open, but this joy was to be short-lived, as an arm from inside the airship clubbed Vector, sending him sprawling backward.  The SWATbots that had been behind him were now at him and they wasted no time in apprehending him.  
        Knuckles' silence was quickly breached; he instinctively cried "No!" as he took a step toward the base of the walkway upon which Vector was trapped.  Knuckles regretted his subconsciously-driven outcry as soon as it had passed his lips.  From inside the airship, a SWATbot emerged and fired on Knuckles, as the SWATbots holding Vector pulled him to his feet and forced him inside the airship which he had so deeply desired to reach.  Now he was inside it, and the taste was bittersweet.  The SWATbot that had come from inside the airship did not fire upon Knuckles again; it proceeded back into the airship from which it had come.  There was one SWATbot still on the walkway, however; it assumed the task of its last-departed brethren – rather, its clone which knew not even its own double as any more than its designation of ally – in firing upon Knuckles.  The door to the airship slid closed, and Knuckles was using his namesake knuckles to claw his way up the nearest beam supporting the walkway, which he was quickly upon.  He turned to face the remaining SWATbot and delivered to it his fist, sending it crashing from the walkway onto the ground below.  Knuckles quickly turned to face the airship, but it was now hovering and beginning to lift off.  Knuckles threw himself at the airship, yelling "No, stop!" but he could gain no traction in its metallic shell with which to sink his fists.  As the airship lifted abruptly, Knuckles slid from its rounded body and fell on his back on the walkway.  The airship rose higher and higher; Knuckles tried in vain to reach out for it, but was left lying on his back with his arm outstretched and his eyes wide, as if hoping just the wish of the thing would bring the thing itself.  


* * *

  
        The cliff overlooked a grand, behemothic ravine, a thin canyon, running like a deep river of sand and dust in the desert.  The cliff was steep, and its height immense, the ravine far-reaching and profound in its depth.  
        From their vantage-point atop the cliff, the three could see far and wide across and into the ravine.  They were as if perched upon the peak of legendary Olympus, unseen, unexpected, yet with broad, scopious vision, much-seeing.  The azure had faded, now morose and gray.  The clouds were now much more densely-packed in the sky, and the sun could have been seen on its latter descent had it not been obscured by the cover of clouds.  
        From this acme, their post, a clear view was to be had of the scout tent below.  They lay on their bellies so as to not make their change of the shape of the terrain so apparent, hoping their narrow silhouettes would go unnoticed by the enemy below given their distance.  
        "Looks like the robots set up that camp," observed Mighty, pointing to the tent below, before which, a SWATbot could be seen standing.  
        "Yeah, well, do we have any ideas yet?" asked Espio.  
        "Wasn't it to get away from these robots?" asked Mighty, scratching his head.  
        "We have to find Vector," said Knuckles, without shifting his gaze from its forward-locked position.  
        "Yeah, well, we haven't any idea where they took him," said Mighty, frustrated.  
        "Perhaps we can find a clue in their camp," replied Knuckles, still staring blankly ahead.  
        "And be found? C'mon, Knux, don't we want to get as far from them as we can? Not chase them."  
        "They'll find us anyway."  
        "Yeah, well, maybe we'll have thought of a plan by then," said Espio in retort.  
        Knuckles snapped his head to face his audience now for the first time.  
        "I just realized… we don't have to confront them after all."  
        "That's what I said."  
        "No, no, I mean that Espio can get into their tent invisible, right?"  
        "Don't you think they'd notice the tent being opened by a ghost?"  
        "Well, maybe I can lure them away from the tent."  
        "But then we're back to confronting them."  
        "Maybe, maybe not. Best case is they won't find me. Worst case, they will, but at least I'll have a strategic advantage if I can see them before they can see me."  
        "Well…"  
        "Look, I'm not going to argue with you guys. If you guys aren't with me, I'll do this alone."  
        Knuckles wasted no time in defending his commitment to his words, moving across the edge of the cliff, and then commencing his descent into the ravine once he was far enough laterally from the camp below.  
        Espio reluctantly followed the headstrong echidna's lead.  Mighty, conceding to Espio's decision to follow, did the same.  
        Knuckles reached the ground a safe distance from the campsite and paused, knowing smugly that his friends would be joining him shortly.  He was right, and he looked back nonchalantly as he heard the sound of an impact upon the dirt just behind him, turning to see Espio, and then Mighty, as expected.  
        "Er, what exactly was the plan again?" asked Mighty, pulling himself up from having hit the ground.  
        "And what exactly am I looking for inside the tent?" asked Espio.  
        Knuckles, as before, did not shift his forward glance as he said, "We'll find out once we're inside."  
        "**We?**" snapped Espio.  "How are **you going to get inside? My cloak can get me in, but not you! I thought the plan was—"  
        "There was a plan?" smirked Knuckles.  
        "Oh, great," sighed Espio.  "So you never **__really were going to try to avoid a confrontation?"  
        "What's the fun in that?" smiled Knuckles, cocking his head.  
        Mighty just cupped his forehead in his palms, shaking his head.  
        "There's no reasoning with you," said Espio somewhat snidely, but as between friends.  
        "Let's go!" yelled Knuckles, knowing his friends wouldn't be left behind.  
          
        That summons escaped his lips and transformed him.  Something within was awakened; he was changed.  A single point of focus within his encumbered mind overwhelmed him, and he could see nothing else.  
            Knuckles leaped to his feet in a blind rage.  Lacking any peripherality, his focus was singular, as before.  He was alone.  There was nothing, for nothing he saw.  The world was invisible, and he, invincible.  Nothing but him and his mind and his singularity and his fury.  Nothing.  
            Footsteps.  He heard footsteps.  But he saw nothing.  The echoing, echoing taps, discreet sounds; they had no form; they were linked to no body.  Footsteps and emptiness.  They were behind him?  He could not even remember the course of the only-then-passed minutes, so blinded and alone in his own projection of the world he was.  
            He felt the threats without sight, blindly sensing and dodging them.  He sensed all, yet saw none, for in his eyes he was alone and the world was his own.  In the air, now he was scaling an invisible wall.  Yet was the line blurring?  Was it invisible, or was it not there at all?  Was this blindness, or rage, or was it concentration?  
            He was scaling, then leaping, then clobbering the air and hearing the metallic air hit the ground; hit the ground, the metallic air.  Time stood.  When he reawoke, they were all on the ground.  The invisible hand had restored his sight, and he was alone, yet not; there were others but they were all felled, and so, surrounded, he was alone.  He could see, but he was still blind.  Still blind.  
            A thought: they?  Where were they?  This thought pierced his seeing blindness; yet it meant little; to it he asked: who are 'they'?  
            An epiphany: he knew.  His companions, 'they;' where were they?  
            On the ground.  A rush, and it all comes back.  Moaning, they rise, hands on their heads, and he lets loose a sigh of relief, pent up deep within; seconds earlier, he had known nothing, but now he knew and felt and was relieved, helping them to their feet.  
            "What happened?"  
            "It seemed as if you weren't even hearing us!"  
            "I don't know."  
            "What?"  
            "I was gone... I -- forgot."  
            "Forgot what?"  
            "You... everything.  It was all -- gone."  
            "Are you okay?"  
            He shook his head, and then sighed.  "Fine now."  He walked.  Then he pulled open the tent.  
            I don't think he was really fine.  
            Knuckles was inside the tent now, prying around.  He himself didn't even know really what he was doing; his actions were subconsciously fueled.  He was feeling maddened but he didn't know what it was – a plague inside his mind; something was there.  He tried to keep himself busy to drown out whatever was there in his head and not let it reach prominence.  
            "Knuckles, are you sure you're okay?"  Espio stepped into the tent, followed by Mighty.  
            "You're acting really strange."  
            "I'm fine, I said. Either make yourselves useful or be quiet."  
            "What's the big deal? It's not like there's a bomb ticking away; it's not like there's a timer we have to race against."  
            Knuckles seemed to grow angry at these words, and perhaps would have responded in rage had he not found something else to speak of.  
            He held up a sheet of paper he had found on the table at the back of the tent.  
            "'Robotnik Empire,' it says." Knuckles pointed to the top of the page.  
            "Yeah?"  
            "Is that supposed to mean something to me?"  
            "I don't know. 'Robotnik.' 'Robotnik.' For some reason, the word sounds familiar to me, but I can't remember where I heard it."  
            Espio now walked over to the table and rummaged through the papers still lying there.  
            Espio, after a time, held up another paper.  "This looks interesting."  
            It, like many of the papers on the table, was also labeled "Robotnik Empire" at the top.  
            "'Classified level three document,'" read Mighty, scanning the page Espio held up.  "'Project UA-1, Brief 2, Level 3' … 'Preliminary: Armies will be deployed upon the Floating Island.' … 'Immediate Mission: Scout area. Apprehend any resistance. Subject 882 should be taken alive.' … 'This document is only a rough overview of the context of your mission and your current objectives. Officers with a sufficient security clearance can obtain more information on this operation via the data terminals connected to the Robotropolis network. Those without proper security clearance will carry out their given objectives without question. This document is dated: 32350600024.'"  
            Espio handed the page to Knuckles and turned back to his rummaging.  
            Knuckles glanced over the page.  "'Armies will be deployed upon the Floating Island.' That sure sounds like what happened."  
            Mighty frowned.  "That paper says almost nothing, in so many words. 'Project UA-1?' 'Subject 882,' 'data terminals connected to the Robotropolis network.' Does it help us? What does it mean?"  
            Espio, while continuing to look at the papers on the table, shouted in response, "I think it's supposed to keep even whoever it's intended for in the dark; it just tells them what they need to do, with very little of 'why.'"  
            Knuckles frowned.  "'Robotnik Empire' – I know I've heard that name before."  
            "There doesn't seem to be anything else relevant in this pile," said Espio, turning from the table.  "Oh, wait—"  Espio caught sight of a tray by the entrance.  In it, more pages.  Espio raised them to the zenith.  
            "'Subject 1239'" read Espio from the second leaf.  "'This document is dated: 3235060027' … 'Status: Apprehended.' … 'Identified as: order crocodilian.' … 'Notes: may be of strategic benefit, esp. in regards to apprehension of subject 882 and/or fulfillment of UA-1 commit L (those of sufficient clearance may find more on commit L at data terminal location entropy:oper\ua1\9192\commit\81\L1cc as of this writing).'"  
            "'order crocodilian.'"  
            "Yeah, I think it's Vector too."  
            "What does that mean: 'may be of strategic benefit'? What do they want with him?"  
            "'especially in regards to apprehension of subject 882…' What's subject 882?"  
            "They want Vector to get at someone else?"  
            "If it's one of us—"  
            "Knuckles?"  
            Knuckles didn't even hear.  
            "If it's Knuckles, then they __want us to go after Vector. It's a trap."  
            "Oh!" Heads turned to find that it was Knuckles' exclamation.  
            "What?"  
            "I just remembered…"  
            "Damnit, Knuckles, stop it with that."  
            "—where I heard 'Robotnik.'"  
            "Haven't you even been listening? What if this whole thing's a trap?"  
            "That hedgehog; I'm pretty sure that hedgehog said 'Robotnik.'"  
            "What hedgehog?! Are you sure you're okay, Knuckles?"  
            "He's not okay; it doesn't matter what he says."  
            Knuckles ignored it. "But what did he say about 'Robotnik'?" He was speaking to himself.  
            "Who gives a damn?"  
            Knuckles started, as if woken from a daze within a daze.  He was in a concentric ring of stupors, each layer of it coming off on its own time.  How deep did the circle go?  Knuckles reached as if to confront the bringer of the jagged-edge words.  
            Espio reached in and stopped it.  "You're not there, Knuckles. I think you should rest. Something's happened; you're not well."  
            Knuckles, eyes full of rage, turned about face and stood.  
            "You should really get some rest; you're not well."  
            Knuckles didn't respond.  
            Mighty and Espio looked at each other, and then at Knuckles.  
            "He said Robotnik was behind this, and he was right."  
            Knuckles turned around, the anger gone from his eyes.  "He was right."  
            "Who?"  
            "The hedgehog; we should find him; he was right."  
            "The hedgehog?"  
            "The hedgehog was there when we were attacked, and when we lost Vector… and Charmy. He said he was on our side, that Robotnik was our enemy both."  
            "Well, how are we supposed to find him?"  
            "Assuming he's real," said Mighty with a wink as he elbowed Espio in jest.  
            Knuckles wasn't amused.  "He's real. I'm not _that _lost."  
            "You sure?"  
            Knuckles lowered his head and nodded, perhaps not __that lost, but still far from fine.  
            "Alright, well, how are we supposed to find him?"  
            "I don't know," said Knuckles somberly.  "What do you suggest we do?"  
            "Hell if I know."  
            "Then let's just start looking."  
            "For what, where?"  
            Now yelling: "Would you rather just __sit here?"  
            A sigh.  
            "Let's get started."  Knuckles started to the wide open, the outside.  
            They had no better idea, thus following him, albeit with hesitation.  


* * *

              
            The sky would have been dark if it could have been seen, but one might mistake the dark clouds for the dark sky they veiled.  A double-edged sword, they were, perhaps keeping from the enemy's sight, or perhaps keeping the enemy from sight.  Perhaps it was hard to see, and perhaps the advice given – "you should really get some rest" – should have been heeded, yet they had no direction; they headed opposite from the compass side from which they had come, yet knew not any more of what was there than "air we haven't breathed yet today," and maybe it didn't matter how well they could see for they would be walking blind even if it were under daylight.  
            Knuckles, not knowing his destination by anything but "forward," had other things on his mind.  What was it that caused him to zone out?  He had, back at the camp, gone into an empty daydream; it seemed empty, at least.  Was it empty?  Or could Knuckles just not remember what it was that had drawn all his focus away from the rest of the world subconsciously?  Knuckles was vexed; something had been bothering him so much that it had made everything else disappear, while still letting Knuckles see everything through his mind's eye – and now he couldn't even remember what it was.  Maybe, he thought, he didn't ever know – not even during the daydream.  Perhaps there was no real thing that had caused him to go mad – as his friends had insinuated; maybe it was just an emptiness in him.  Knuckles was now slightly convinced that the thing which had filled him with blinding adrenaline was, at least in part, an emptiness inside of him; it made sense to him, since he couldn't remember what it was, that it was an emptiness, and that was why there was nothing to remember.  Doubtlessly it had been exacerbated by the obvious tension and danger born from the armies appearing on the island, and the splitting up of his group.  
            What was this emptiness?  Knuckles realized he had many.  He had not seen his parents since his childhood.  The Floating Island had once been home to many civilizations; Knuckles did not even remember what moment in time had been the turning point of their disappearance; had they disappeared, or had Knuckles just lost them and didn't know where to look?  He was the guardian of the island's emeralds, which served to keep it afloat, yet he had no guidance.  He knew no other echidnas, but was sure he had remembered seeing other echidnas when he was young.  When was the last time he had seen his father?  And why was his father gone?  
            Knuckles' thoughts were interrupted by a jab in his side, Mighty's elbow, which got his attention.  "Look," said Mighty, pointing.  
            Knuckles looked to see what Mighty was pointing at.  Espio did too, and remarked with surprise, "Is that Vector?"  
            Mighty nodded and said, "I thought so too, so I guess if we both saw the same thing…"  
            "We have to go to him, now!" Knuckles cried, almost pathetically, as he started in the direction Mighty had pointed.  Espio raised his arm to stop Knuckles.  
            "Didn't you hear us talking back at the camp? They're waiting for you; it's a trap!"  
            Knuckles was more impatient and pitiful than he was angry, as he shouted, "We won't get another chance like this! We have to go! We might never find him again if we don't go now!"  Knuckles pushed Espio's restraining arm aside.  
            "This is too easy, Knuckles; they'd never make it this easy on accident; they're **waiting** for you! They're ready for you. If you go, you're just playing right into their hand!"  
            Knuckles turned.  "Then how are we supposed to save Vector? It'll always be a trap. They'll always be waiting."  
            Mighty sighed.  "Knuckles…"  
            "If you've got any bright ideas, let's hear 'em," snapped Knuckles.  
            "I don't think there's anything we can do that they won't be expecting."  
            "That's bullshit. There's something. There's always a way! We can't just leave Vector!"  
            "Don't fall for their trap, Knuckles. If you can just keep yourself safe for now, next time they probably won't be expecting us; figure something happened to us since we didn't show up here today."  
            The immense weight on Knuckles' mind was clearly visible, and his inability to accept impossibility was radiating from his face.  It was clear that to Knuckles, walking away was simply not something he knew.  
            "Knuckles, just trust me. We'll save Vector, but not now."  
            Knuckles couldn't, but he forced his mind to give up its hopeless want, and consented disheartedly, still unable to give up his inner want – no, his inner need to run and save his captured companion, but forcing himself to act contrary to his mind's volition.  
            "Let's get some rest," said Espio, with a breath of relief that Knuckles had finally backed down.  


* * *

              
            Knuckles was rudely ousted from his much-needed sleep.  His eyes shot open and he was immediately drowned in bright sunlight; his eyes did not expect this light and he instinctively squinted to keep out the unforeseen light.  
            The surprise of light from such deep darkness, in taking Knuckles' focus, had overtaken the surprise of his abrupt awakening.  
            He was now reminded of this, and made aware of what it had been that ended his sleep – a persistent commotion, and an occasional sharp loud noise; the latter must have been what had awaken him.  Espio had still been sleeping, but when the sound came again, he too was quickly taken from his sleep on the floor, hopefully concealed.  Knuckles roused Mighty, who was still dosing, from his sleep.  
            "What was that?" asked Espio, with a degree of jumpiness but also a level of tiredness.  
            "I don't know, but I hope it's not the robots," responded Knuckles.  
            "I wouldn't get your hopes up," said Mighty with a justified level of tentative apprehension.  
            Each noise over the unnatural commotion resounded like an alarm being set off again and again.  
            One sound arose from the muddled commotion which formed words: "Priority Four.  Subject 882 within range."  
            A pause, and then Espio whispered, "'Subject 882' – that's the same one as from the paper; it must be one of us."  
            Mighty added, "Knuckles."  
            Knuckles heard this, and, having had zoned out during the conversation at the camp, was confused.  "Me?"  
            "Maybe not, but I _think_ 882 is you, Knux."  
            "Shit, they know I'm here?"  
            The truth of this statement hit home and Espio now realized the gravity of the situation, now alarmed.  "Oh, damn."  
            This was loud enough to draw some attention from the commotion, but not loud enough to give away their position.  
            "Echidna, surrender now and be given leniency."  
            "Shit."  
            "If we run, they'll see us!"  
            "Idiot, if we sit here, they'll find us!"  
            "I'm an idiot now? It's true they'll see us if we run!"  
            "No time."  
            Knuckles made a mad dash in the direction away from the commotion, which he did not turn to see; he had heard them, and that was enough.  Mighty and Espio wasted no time in following suit.  
            "882 is in motion. Acquiring target."  
            Knuckles was mumbling to himself, running as fast as his legs could carry him.  
            He heard a cry, and instinctively turned back, to see that Mighty had fallen to the ground.  Robots were all but upon him.  Knuckles abandoned his great fervor for escape and, without even thinking, raced back toward his friend.  The robots got there first.  One robot pulled Mighty to his feet and held both his wrists in one hand, holding Mighty to its metallic body with its other arm.  The robot stepped back, and another figure stepped forward, as if to take its place.  This figure was different.  As it stepped forward, it became clear that it was not a robot like the others.  It was a beast with a large, well-built figure and a great mane.  It had a metallic earpiece and a metallic circlet which wrapped about its forehead.  
            It spoke: "Echidna, I bring news from the lord. He, our lord, wants only an audience with you. Should you cooperate with his demands, your friends will be freed."  
            "Who are you?" roared Knuckles. "Who is your lord, and what does he want from me?"  
            "I am a general of Lord Robotnik's great army. He will discuss his terms with you personally. You shall agree to meet with him or the safety of this armadillo cannot be guaranteed." The beast gestured toward Mighty, and the robot holding him aimed its weapon at his head.  
            "Rest assured," the beast general said, "you will be unharmed. Lord Robotnik needs you alive."  
            Knuckles was, by nature, unable to allow himself to consciously put one in danger, especially a friend.  Perhaps this was a flaw, but who can judge?  In any case, Knuckles yielded to his nature and nodded his head silently.  
            "Good," said the beast-general.  The robot holding Mighty escorted the armadillo away, and Knuckles followed.  Espio was nowhere to be seen.  The beast turned and ordered, "return to the Gathering or your last outpost. This mission is finished."  The robots dispersed at his will, and the general followed the robot that held Mighty.  Knuckles followed the beast.  They didn't walk for long before coming to an airship with the seal of the Empire emblazoned on its side.  The door slid open and they filed in: the general, the robot, Mighty in its tow, and then the guardian echidna.  The door slid shut.  
            "Lord Robotnik will speak with you soon," said the beast-general.  
            There were several robots that had been waiting in the airship before the general's return.  One of them was at the helm, and the ship's engines fired up.  It disappeared beyond the rainclouds, which now began to cry, as their tears slowly started falling, gradually more, until the world beneath them braced itself against a torrent of the heavens' tears.  
  
_


	8. Seven

**7  
  
**

            The sun, invisible, cried.  Its tears were there for all to see.  Everything we keep bottled inside, everything that kills us, the sun is able to let out.  How much do we envy the sun, for being able to free its sorrow from the place where it festers and where it is a catalyst for atrophy?  The sun does not listen; it fears not what is said of its sorrows; because of this, it is free to cry and tell the world of its pain.  My tears are seen only by my hands and my pillow and my lies.  So much unsatisfied want, there is, to explode and cry and reap false sympathy.  It is unseen.  I envy the sun and its rainclouds, for they can cry regardless of their audience and they can tell the world of their pains.  


* * *

              
            Under the sun's tears, the clouds' weeping, the group walked, eyes dry.  
            "This echidna just jumped at me from nowhere."  Sonic was explaining, arms waving as if to demonstrate but having really no relevance to his words.  
            Tails' head darted.  "An echidna?"  
            "Yeah. He was off his rocker."  
            "That must be the echidna Nicole mentioned."  
            "Robotnik's after him."  
            "No kidding," said Sonic.  "I kinda guessed that much. He thought I was the bad guy. I told him it was Robotnik but I don't think he got it."  
            "Damnit, we missed our chance!"  
            Sonic looked confused.  
            "We could have used his help but now he's long gone."  
            Sonic laughed.  "I don't think he would've helped us. He wouldn't even listen to me."  
            The sun spoke now; its tears all around were the only voices in what otherwise was silence.  
            They walked to the sound of the sobbing.  
  
            Sally opened up Nicole.  "Nicole, how do we get back to the center base?"  
            The map of the island appeared again, and Nicole illuminated the place Robotnik had called the Gathering; the crew's location, too, was illuminated.  
            "Your position is on the right."  
            "Thanks, Nicole."  
            Suddenly a crackling sound pierced the silent noise.  Everyone was startled by this and jerked around to try to find out where it had come from.  Antoine had to stifle a yelp.  
            "Y'all there?"  
            They realized the crackling was not SWATbots stepping on leaves and twigs, but rather the static of the handheld radio Sally had brought with from the Tornado.  
            Everyone was instantly relieved.  Sally took up the device in her left hand; her right held Nicole.  She depressed the button, and spoke into the microphone.  "Bunnie, is that—"  Antoine cut her off, shouting, "Ay, you were scaring the living sheet out of myself!"  
            Bunnie's laugh came through the speaker, and then her voice said, still with the ring of laughter, "Yeah, it's me."  
            Sally said, "I presume you have news from Uncle Chuck?"  
            "That's right, Sally-girl. A new gen'ral that Uncle Chuck hadn't heard 'a before has just gottan echidna in custody; he's bein' taken tah the 'tropolis. They were en route to the transport when Chuck told me, but they might be to it by now."  
            "Nicole, did you get that?"  
            "Affirmative, Sally."  
            "Ya copy?" Bunnie's voice came again from the radio.  
            Sally quickly replied, "Yes, yes, we copy. Sorry about that. Thanks again. We'll probably be in touch shortly."  
            "Alright; out, then, sugah."  
            "Nicole, do you think we would be able to get to Robotropolis fast enough to do anything?"  
            "Insufficient data to make an assumption, Sally."  
            "Just try!"  
            A pause, after which Nicole said, "If you can get me to a terminal at the Gathering, I might be able to get the position and velocity of the transport carrying the echidna."  
            "Alright, let's go."  
            The motley crew started for the Gathering.  


* * *

              
            The so-called 'Gathering' was the sound of uniform marching, and the sight of motion of metal.  Perhaps, too, the feeling of density.  
            "Sonic and Tails, create a distraction to draw attention away from that building."  Sally pointed across the alley to a short building guarded by a pair of SWATbots.  "Laine, you come with me into the building while I connect Nicole to the terminal I _hope _is inside. Antoine, Caero, you watch from here and jump into action if something goes wrong."  
            'Here' was behind a building that was a few feet taller than a SWATbot.  
            "Got it, Sal," said Sonic.  The rest of the crew followed suit in affirming their understanding.  
            "Let's go!" said the princess.  
            Sonic nodded to Tails and Tails lifted Sonic into the air.  Once away from that 'here' behind a building, once over an alley, Sonic started shouting: "Hey, boltbrains! Up here! Nyah, nyah!"  Several SWATbots heard this.  
            "Priority One. Apprehend Sonic the Hedgehog. Forces, divert precedence."  
            With that, several more SWATbots turned, as if the circle of attention had simply enlarged its radius.  The robots nearest to the airborne taunt-spewing hedgehog raised their weapons and fired.  Tails was expecting this, and had been waiting, but with the weight of Sonic, he had limited agility and his evasion of the attacks was narrower than he would have liked.  Still, he did evade them, pulling Sonic to the side as he shifted his weight in that direction.  The SWATbots that were guarding the door Sally was to enter also now allowed Sonic to take their attention.  
            "Nyah, nyah!"  The SWATbots fired again, but this time more of them at once, and Sonic nodded to Tails, who immediately released his grip upon the hedgehog; Sonic dropped to the ground and immediately went into a spin, plowing through several SWATbots since they were so densely packed.  Sonic then turned and backed, increasing the distance between him and the door through slow backward steps.  "That all you got?"  Sonic stuck out his tongue.  As Sonic backed up, the SWATbots, too, slowly moved toward him.  With the guards now away from the door, and their backs turned, Sally signaled to Laine and they made a quick dash for the door.  They pulled themselves inside to find a lone SWATbot their company.  This caught them by surprise, but Laine quickly grasped the situation and charged into the SWATbot, knocking it to the floor before it could fire.  
            "Go, Sally," Laine called.  "I'll take care of this guy."  
            Sally, heeding his words, rushed past him and found, with a sigh of relief, that there was a data terminal at the other end of the room.  She quickly interfaced Nicole with the terminal.  
            "You know what to do, Nicole."  
            "Downloading, Sally."  


* * *

                          
            Sonic hadn't been watching where he was going, and he stepped backwards into the grip of a SWATbot.  Sonic had forgotten that the whole base was filled with SWATbots.  Sonic struggled to free himself but more SWATbots were now upon him.  


* * *

              
            "Aiee!" Antoine yelped.  "What are we to be doing?"  Antoine looked to Caero, not knowing how to handle the situation.  
            "That's an easy one," said Caero.  "We kick their asses."  
            Antoine's face filled with horror and then tentative rage.  "You… you traitore! You are to be turning on Sonique?!" Antoine reached for his sword, and Caero quickly cried, "No, no – the robots!"  
            Antoine sighed and simply said, "oh," relaxing his hand.  
            "Well, let's go then!"  
            "How are we to be getting to zee hedgehog?" said Antoine, observing that there were at least ten SWATbots between them and Sonic.  
            Tails gave the answer to that, arriving overhead just as this was said.  "I can handle that!"  Tails swooped toward the ground and grabbed Antoine, lifting him into the air.  Antoine was panicked by this and started writhing from within Tails' grip, crying, "Let me goooooo!"  
            "Quit it or I'll drop you!"  
        Antoine did, without question.  
          
        Caero, meanwhile, left the cover of the building he was behind, and came across SWATbots which had their backs turned to him.  Caero took quick advantage of this, heaving his fist at the first robot he came to, felling it in one blow.  He did the same to the next robot he came upon before the other SWATbots just in front of him detected him, probably through the sounds his fists induced upon the robots' shells; they turned and he now faced enemies that would return his attacks.  Caero ducked to the ground and dived at the feet of the nearest robot with his fists outstretched, making it lose its footing and balance as his knocked out one of its legs from under it; it fell and Caero pounced upon it.  Another robot was upon Caero and he rose while concurrently uppercutting the robot that was at him, felling it through great surprise to its unreasoning brain.  
          
        Tails was over Sonic now, and now there were three other SWATbots around him, facing him, guarding him from liberty.  Tails let go, shouting, "now!" and Antoine was unprepared for this, writhing in the air until he landed upon a SWATbot's head, confounding it and then felling it.  The next SWATbot before Antoine was the one which held Sonic.  Antoine drew his sword and impaled this SWATbot through the neck.  It didn't terminate, but it loosed its grip upon Sonic enough for him to twist free.  Sonic wasted no time in curling into a spin and dealing his wrath to the SWATbots that were upon him as if he was in an ant circus and being looked down upon by spectators, through the top of the small ring, built for ants.  
        Sally and Laine just then burst out of the door; Sonic saw this and he signaled to his friends behind him.  Caero had cleared the path to Sally of robots, and the crew dashed through the clearing Caero had made and into the forest, running, all but Sonic who was keeping speed with everyone else; for him this was not running.  
        As the crew's positions converged and everyone was together, still running, Sally spoke. "Nicole, what did you find?"  
        "There was a slight delay in the transport's departure for Robotropolis. It departed ten minutes ago.  Its cruising velocity is on average 250 kilometers per hour.  If we reach the Tornado quickly and fly it at its maximum speed, we might not beat the transport to Robotropolis but we shouldn't be very much later in arrival."  
        "Lead us to the Tornado, Nicole."  Sally and the crew were still running as fast as they could, and Sonic was keeping at their speed.  
        Nicole displayed the map as she had done so many times.  


* * *

              
        The gang was almost at the Tornado, when they saw something they had not thought to expect: SWATbots having stumbled upon the airplane.  There were about six in the vicinity.  
        Sonic, seeing them, said, "I'll take out a few of them and distract the rest while you guys get on board and Tails starts it up."  
        Sally nodded, and Sonic stopped relegating himself to the others' speeds, dashing as a blur toward the SWATbots.  Sally and the gang were fairly close and could hear Sonic taunting the SWATbots.  
        Now at the Tornado XL, Tails hurriedly opened the door and the gang started piling in.  Tails tried to fire up the engine, and the SWATbots heard, turning and opening fire on the open door of the ship, as Antoine ducked in.  
        "Gotta juice, guys," said Sonic to the enemy, ducking into a spin and plowing through the SWATbot in front of him, then dashing into the open door that closed behind him.  The Tornado XL took off and the SWATbots fired upward at it but couldn't penetrate its chassis.  Without sentiency and logic, perhaps they would remain firing at the airship forever, even as it soared miles away, until they were told to do otherwise.  


* * *

              
        The radio buzzed again.  
        Sally picked it up and Bunnie's voice came through.  "Chuck says it looks like the transport's gone an' changed courses!"  
        This news caught Sally by surprise.  "…….to where?"  
        "Uncle Chuck had me write down some numbahs. Heah they ah, Sally-girl."  
        Sally opened up Nicole as Bunnie read off numbers.  
        "You get that, Nicole?"  
        "Affirmative, Sally."  
        "Got it, Bunnie."  
        "Mah pleasure.  Ah'm out."  
            Static.  
            "The coordinates are, according to my files, those of the future site of a small Robotnik installment and factory facility."  
            "What direction do we need to go to get there?"  
            "20 degrees to the west should form the vector to those coordinates."  
            "Tails, west 20 degrees."  
            "Got it!" he called over his shoulder.  
            The ship could be felt slightly changing course.  
            It flew, its path now slightly warped.  


* * *

              
            "The site should be just ahead," said Nicole, projecting a coordinate grid.  
            "Tails, land under cover," said Sally.  
            "Yes'm!"  
            The plane began to descend, and rocked to the left, turning on its impaling axis, as Tails turned it so as to land under cover of trees.  Through the windows, the world turned.  The world turned to them; they didn't move, only their stomachs and the world; their bodies, their shells stood; the window was their eye, the eye through which they saw the world now.  
            A thud became an irony.  A loud sound was the thing that murdered the other sounds.  It left the place in silence through its booming wrath.  An inanimate hypocrite.  
            The door slid open.  
            A new eye came open.  
            Stepping out, the world was their eye through which they saw the world.  The eye grew, its boundaries the edges of the door, the window, the opening, but as they passed through these boundaries, these edges, they were no more; they saw through eyes that were infinite planes.  They saw the world through the world.  
            They were stuck here, in this unhappy place.  The gateway through which they had come was asleep.  The air they breathed was unhappy and it made them unhappy.  The rain was still coming down, and the sun was unhappy.  The rays radiated from the unhappy sun and this made them unhappy.  The place was unhappy and it made them unhappy.  They didn't even know; they untook it for ungranted.  
            She pointed, and they followed her arm, attached to the hand that had a mind of its own – or at least its own voice, its own larynx.  It spoke to them and ordered them and they heard it, for they listened and followed and obeyed it.  The hand led the way; the hand set the course; the hand was the real mind, detached from the body and speaking for the body, which breathed for it.  
            Walking through the unhappy place, they were, walking, unhappy, the unhappy sun crying its unhappy tears and the unhappy air eating their unhappy lungs.  Half-alive.  
            Half-expected, they would soon realize.  They came upon the enemy, which turned to face them before they were even audible.  They – the enemy – were told to be ready for the possibility of intruders, so they were half-expected.  
            They prepared to engage the waiting arms (both the arms and the arms' arms, the weapon and the thing that held it, unrespectively) of the enemy.  This unplanned plan, unthought, unreasoned, was interrupted.  A thud.  This thud, unlike the gateway's, did not bring silence.  It brought itself.  It brought itself over itself over infinitum.  It appeared, a Robotnik-made ship in the most traditional 'classic' sense, but attached to legs and walking on those legs as if it was Pinocchio, the inanimate boy that wanted to be real – wanted to be a real boy, alive.  So it pretended it was, walking on its two legs.  Pinnochio wanted so much to be a real boy; he spoke now, for this, he thought, would prove him real; for if it walks like a duck and quacks – talks – like a duck, it must be a duck.  
            "You've no business here."  Pinocchio's voice was nasal, familiar.  
            "Where's the echidna, Snively?"  
            "He's already gone, en route to Robotropolis. The transport just stopped here to drop off some cargo. Now thank me for my mercy and be gone before I reconsider…" Pinocchio, the needle-nose, paused.  "On second thought…"  
            All the drones at once raised their arms and with them, the arms their arms held.  
            "Split!"  
            At once the arms fired the arms, and concurrently the group under fire divorced completely, in all different directions for cover.  
            A phantom whirlwind tore through the lines.  The wind beat at the unhappy place, and when it was done, the dust cleared and there was a hole in the enemy lines and then there was Sonic from the sky.  
            He pointed to Pinocchio, with a look of reckoning.  "You wanna piece of me?"  
            His crew, now in all different places, were felling the small legion of Pinocchio they could see.  
            The wooden-metal boy said, "Try me, rodent."  It lifted its great left leg and brought Sonic to its shadow.  The wooden-metal foot crushed the ground.  
            "I'm too fast for you, needle-nose! Why don't you give up now and go crying back to Robuttnik?"  Sonic had dashed from under the hovering foot.  
            "Too fast for this?"  Pinocchio raised his arm and hired it, a cannon.  Sonic barely dodged the huge blast, which raped the earth and brought it to its knees, begging for no more.  The violated soil was now bruised; it bore a bruise visibly, a small crater left by the cannon.  
            "Run, Sonic!"  
            "You're telling me to run?" Sonic shouted to the voice behind him, the female voice of Sally.  
            "We don't have a plan; run!"  
            The walker, great puppet, fired its rape again.  Sonic barely avoided it, and realized the voice of Sally was right: he didn't know off the top of his head how to defeat the metal puppet, and his luck in evading its attacks might not last, so he turned and ran, fled.  
            But Snively had already sent resistance in that direction to head them off.  The bunch saw the robots ahead, between them and the gateway, and divided into units of one, each with its own direction, all toward the gateway but with varying degree.  
            The young two-tailed, flying fox went over the barrier of metals pseudoliving and landed behind them, able to knock the leg from under one as if it were a weak table; it looked away from him as he did this, and it did not see him until it looked up at him from below, back-on-the-ground.  This diverted the attention of the other robots enough to allow the crew to pass unnoticed, swiftly, on either side, keeping a safe distance.  Tails, once his friends had passed, escaped through the air, taking flight.  
            They reached the gateway and took off post-haste, now seeing the world through the small eyes of the windows once again.  


* * *

              
            "Deployment to Knothole. Deployment to Knothole."  Sally was, this time, the initiator on the radio.  
            Static.  
            "Deployment to Knothole; come in, Knothole; this is the Deployment; Sally speaking; come in—"  
            She was cut off.  "This is Knothole; we've got you. Rotor here."  
            "Rotor, we need you to get Bunnie. Tell her we need Uncle Chuck to tell us where the echidna's transport is headed, or where it's landed, if it has landed. She should know what we're referring to. We're en route to Robotropolis and need to know if the transport is in fact heading there, or already there, or if it was in fact at Snively's location and he lied to us. Do you copy?" Sally was speaking quickly, as if her words were in a race, looking behind them to make sure they still held the lead.  
            "I copy, Sally. I'll send Bunnie to Chuck's ASAP."  
            "We need this intel as fast as you can get it. Please don't delay."  
            "Roger, Sally."  
            "Sally out."  
            Everyone in the cabin waited in silence for a resolution.  The silence talked and talked.  


* * *

              
            The silence talked and talked.  They were nearing Robotropolis.  The silence talked and talked.  It talked and was then drowned in sound louder than silence, the buzz of remote communication.  
            Bunnie carried her voice from far away.  How loud was this shout that could be heard from many miles away?  From so far off that she could not even hope to be seen, she was heard clearly.  
            "Y'all, the transport was in fact headin' tah the 'tropolis. It jus' landed when Ah left Uncle Chuck's."  
            "Got it, Bunnie. We'll be landing outside Robotropolis shortly, then. If you'd like to join us now, you're more than welcome. You can meet at Uncle Chuck's, since at least one of us will be heading there before we start this mission."  
            "Ah'm hungarin' foh some action, sugah-Sal. Ah'll be there."  
            "We'll see you soon, then. Sally out."  
            Sally returned the radio to its place, and then spoke again, now projecting her voice into the cockpit. "Tails, land outside of Robotropolis. Keep a safe distance from the border and touch down on the side nearest Uncle Chuck's."  
            Tails raised his hand and gave a thumbs-up.  


* * *

              
            The world below flew in all directions upward, fleeing from the metal thing that was trying to sit upon the soil it had sat upon.  It created its own wind, its own weather.  It changed the weather by making it.  As it touched the soil, it withdrew its weather and its noise.  It was silent, and it opened its mouth, perhaps its eye.  
            "Alright, Sonic," said Sally as she stepped out of the silenced thing.  "You meet Bunnie at Uncle Chuck's and get whatever intel you can. Then meet us back here so we can brief the mission."  
            "Got it, Sal."  Sonic was stepping out behind her.  He gave a thumbs up, and, now on the soil, he stepped from behind her.  "I'll see what Unc has for us. Catch ya later."  
            Sonic picked up his feet and was off.  


* * *

              
            He was at the trash heap his uncle inhabited.  He look around him, and seeing his surroundings clear, opened the door and stepped in.  Bunnie was there already.  "Hey, sugah-hog!"  Uncle Chuck turned around to see his nephew.  "Hey, Sonny."  
            "Yo, Unc; Bunnie."  
            "I'm assuming you want—"  
            "Yeah, whatever intel you can give us. We're gonna head into Robotropolis."  
            "Well, the echidna has been taken into Robotropolis. He's in a holding cell. As for general intel…" Uncle Chuck tapped at his console.  "Well, the echidna is being held in Facility B, which is right off the back of the main complex. It's relatively well-guarded, but there's another way in through the back. It's guarded there but not very well. You shouldn't have much of a problem getting through. Alternatively, the main generator for the facility is located in Compound 4, which is a bit west of Facility B. If you get the generator offline, you should have at least 15 minutes before the backup generator kicks in. Another route you could take is through an underground tunnel that leads into Facility B's ventilation system. The tunnel starts through the big shaft in the abandoned SWATbot factory east of Facility B. The factory went offline some time ago and isn't currently in use, so it shouldn't be guarded very well.  
            "Also, Snively is supposedly in transit, on his way back to Robotropolis. A new general I haven't heard of before – did Bunnie mention him?"  
            "Yeah, Ah did."  
            "Alright, well, he's stationed in Facility B – that's where the echidna is – but I don't know if he's going to stay there. Robotnik himself has some itinerary regarding the echidna, but it's peculiarly high-clearance for just an itinerary record, so I have no idea what it entails."  
            "I say we head in the back way," said Sonic.  
            "Of course, Sonny, if the alarm is set, there are a lot of SWATbots in the area to respond to the alert."  
            "Let's see what Sally-girl an' the others think," said Bunnie.  
            "Yeah, that's right. We're supposed to go meet them back at the ship. We'd better get on our way, then, Unc. Thanks for everything!"  
            "Good luck, Sonic. Stay safe."  
            "Later, Uncle Chuck," smiled Bunnie, as she and Sonic went to the door.  
            "Good luck to you too, Bunnie. You stay safe too."  
            Sonic opened the door and stepped out, but then stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Say, Unc, do you even know what's so important about this echidna? For Robotnik _or for us?"  
            "Not a clue, Sonic."  
              


* * *

            Sonic and Bunnie appeared, coming toward the crew standing outside of the Tornado.  Once he reached them, Sonic told them what his uncle told him.  
            "So, what's the plan?" he asked when he was done.  
            "Well, I think option three is the best," said Sally after pausing to think and gather and make sense of the many words that has just been introduced to her mind.  "If we go in through the back, we risk one of the guards there sending out an alert and bringing the whole area in on us."  
            "That's what Unc said."  
            "If we cut out the generator, we create confusion, and can probably get into the facility a number of ways, but then we're making our presence obvious.  
            "We should be able to get into the offline factory unnoticed, and from there get into the facility without setting off any alarms, proverbial or actual or otherwise."  
            "But I am not liking zee dark tunnels!" cried Antoine.  
            "An' Ah'm not so sure we should be, y'know, puttin' all our eggs in one basket," said Bunnie.  "If Robotnik finds us, we're **all** caught, if we're all jus' goin' down the tunnel."  
            "And don't you think that'd be overkill?" asked Laine rhetorically, in agreement.  "Do we __really need—" Laine pauses and looks around at the crew.  "—__seven of us in __one tunnel?"  He had been counting, apparently.  
            "Point taken," said Sally.  
            "We can split up!" Tails chipped in.  
            "Right," said Laine.  
            "Yeah, but where do we split up __to?" asked Caero.  
            "Hm, well, maybe we can kill two birds with one stone," said Sonic.  
            "What do you mean?" asked Sally.  
            "Well, we can use a distraction – one that hurts Robotnik by itself – and get into the facility at the same time."  
            "Through the tunnel?"  
            "Yeah, I guess. Though if the SWATbots by the facility were distracted enough, we might even be able to do the generator or the back door."  
            Sally pulled out Nicole.  
            "Nicole, what effects would there by if the main generator for Facility B was taken offline?"  
            Nicole processed this, and then replied.  "Most likely, the majority of the facility's security systems would be taken offline."  
            "Does that mean we could break into the jail cells?" asked Sonic.  
            "The generator going offline wouldn't unlock the cells, but it would allow you to get to the cells without setting off an alarm, and possibly without the cameras watching."  
            "We can't use the generator as our distraction, though," said Sally, not to Nicole but rather to Sonic.  "I'm sure Robotnik would send a bunch of SWATbots to the facility once all its lights went out. It'd be kind of obvious."  
            "Right, so we use another distraction: maybe taking out a nearby SWATbot factory. If Robotnik sends SWATbots to the factory to investigate, hopefully they'll come from Facility B. That should give us cover to shut off the generator and then break into the facility.  
            "If the distraction doesn't work, at least we still shut down a SWATbot factory, and then we can still get into the facility through the tunnel."  
            Sally replied, "We'd still have to deal with security then."  
            "If ya get caught, Ah'll stick outside the facility and get 'em from behind," said Bunnie, punching the air to illustrate.  
            "Yeah, like we always do," laughed Sonic.  
            "Nicole, where's the nearest SWATbot factory?"  
            Nicole projected a map of part of Robotropolis.  
            "This is Facility B," said Nicole, illuminating a structure on the map.  "This is the compound that contains Facility B's main generator," she said, illuminating another object on the map, "and this is the nearest SWATbot factory."  It illuminated.  
            Nicole continued, "All three of these are in the same designation zone, Zone B1. Given this, it is a reasonable assumption to make that units in this zone would respond to an alert originating from the factory."  
            "Come again, Nicole?"  
            "There's a good chance that SWATbots from and around the facility would go to the factory when you 'screw up the factory,' Sonic."  
            "Awesome."  
            "Thanks, Nicole," said Sally.  "Alright, then, guys. Here's the plan:  
            "We're going to head to Zone B. First, we're taking out the SWATbot factory Nicole designated. Bunnie, that's your job. Laine, you go with Bunnie."  
            They nodded.  Sally continued, "Once you take down the factory, radio me. Tails, you come with me. We'll be waiting outside the generator compound for Bunnie's signal. We should be able to see the facility from there. We'll watch and see if the SWATbots are taking the bait. If they are, we'll go in and shut off the generator.  
            Sonic and Antoine, you'll wait at the abandoned factory for my signal. If the SWATbots took the bait, I'll shut the generator off and you can get into the facility however you want. Tails and I will meet you inside the facility. If they didn't take the bait, you'll have to use the tunnel—"  
        "Non, my princess! Not zee tunnel!"  
        "—and remember that we don't want them to know you're there. Caero will be outside the facility in case they see you. Hopefully, they'll take the bait."  
            Sally tossed Sonic a radio.  "Everybody know what they're doing?"  
            They all did.  
            Sally stuck out her hand, balled into a fist.  Bunnie, Sonic, Antoine, and Tails stuck out their hands too.  Caero and Laine looked at each other and then did too.  
            "Freedom!"  


* * *

  
            A crackling voice came: "Bunnie, are you in position yet?"  
            "Yeah, sugah, me an' Laine are ready. Is sugah-hog and Ant ready?"  
            "Yeah, Bunnie, they're in position. Go when you're ready."  
            "Gotcha. We'll let ya know when we're done!"  
            "Okay; we'll hear from you then. Sally out."  
            The radio shut up.  
            "You ready, Laine?" Bunnie asked, turning to Laine.  
            "I am. You'll have to tell me how we're supposed to shut down the factory once we get to that part."  
            Bunnie smiled.  "That's mostly mah job but Ah'll tell ya when we get there."  
            "I'm ready as ever, then."  Laine smiled.  
            "Let's go!"  
            Bunnie jumped around the corner and Laine followed.  They were now on the front side of the factory, and there were three SWATbots guarding the huge front entrance.  Bunnie and Laine had advanced a few yards before the guards detected them.  
            "Freeze in the name of Lord Robotnik!" said one of the SWATbots.  
            Bunnie and Laine did not freeze.  
            "Freeze now or be fired upon."  
            "Y'all better watch your mouths!" Bunnie was now all but upon the SWATbots.  
            "Prepare to be terminated."  
            The SWATbots raised their weapons.  Bunnie clobbered one of them; she was half-organic, half-machine; the roboticization process had affected her legs, and one arm before Sonic had saved her.  The half of her that had been roboticized was super-strong, and when her metal arm hit the SWATbot it didn't just fall; it was breached.  Laine knocked the second SWATbot into the third one.  
            "We're goin' in!" shouted Bunnie, now turning to run into the factory, beneath the huge beam that defined the top of the gigantic empty door.  "The thing we wanna take out should be up the stairs, an' in the back."  Bunnie darted up the stairwell that was immediately to the right of the great opening.  Laine knew nothing but what she told him, and what she did, following her up the stairs.  
            They were up the stairs, on a catwalk that hovered above the factory, the mechanical arms and the welding guns and the noise.  A SWATbot came from an invisible door, onto the catwalk some ways ahead of the two.  Bunnie saw it.  "Laine, can you take the SWATbot? I'll take care of the factory."  
            "I sure can."  
            Bunnie ran for the SWATbot, then used her mechanical legs to leap into the air over it.  It turned and fired at her, and Laine ran toward it.  Bunnie turned to see a flash: the shot coming for her.  She protracted her legs and the shot went under her.  Laine grabbed the SWATbot's arm; it faced away from him.  He twisted its arm and pushed it to the left.  It made a clang as it hit the railing of the catwalk.  The SWATbot's other arm swung at Laine, but Laine quickly reacted, pushing the SWATbot upward by its arm in his grip, and its other arm went over Laine's head.  Laine pushed the SWATbot, upper body first, over the railing and it tumbled headfirst onto a conveyor belt below.  Laine turned, hearing a sound behind him, to face another SWATbot, coming out of a door that was not invisible from this angle.  Laine heard a sound that was behind him in the other direction; it was the sound of the SWATbot he had sent off the catwalk meeting its end in the machinery.  Laine ducked to avoid the inevitable blow of the new SWATbot, and while he was down he grabbed the robot's leg, and pushed it to the right, knocking it from its footing.  It fell onto its side on the catwalk.  Laine rose and then pushed his foot against the robot's side, pushing it with his foot under the railing and hearing it crash upon the floor of the factory below.  Laine turned around and around and saw no more SWATbots after him, and so he dashed in the direction Bunnie had gone.  He came upon her just in time to see her fire her pulse cannon, which she had protracted from the socket which her mechanical hand had before been, upon a large terminal in front of a big humming machine.  The machine exploded and Bunnie turned around.  She was took aghast seeing Laine, forgetting that had been at this place, but then recovered and was dashing in his direction; as she came to him, she said, "Mission accomplished! Let's get outta here!"  
            Laine was cognitive and turned face again.  When they reached the stairwell, the factory stopped its methodic work, and all its parts froze, wherever they were, whatever they were doing.  They dashed down the stairs and out the thing that was the door.  Two of the SWATbots they had encountered were still on the floor.  One was up, and another, unencountered SWATbot had joined it.  Bunnie fired her pulse cannon at one, dismantling it entirely, but her pulse cannon took time to recharge after discharging, so she could not fire at the other standing SWATbot.  She and Laine both rushed at it, and together knocked it to the ground beneath them.  They crushed it and then rose, running, away from the factory.  
            Bunnie spoke to the radio.  "Ah give the signal. The factory's down. Let's see if those bots take the bait!"  


* * *

  
            "Alright, Tails; Bunnie's given the signal. Go out and see if the SWATbots are moving."  
            She could see the facility and its guards from where she was, but Tails, the flying scout, could see the things the structures obscured.  
            "Aye-aye!"  Tails paused for a second.  "Now?"  
            "You can wait a few minutes if you'd like."  
            "No, I'm ready!"  
            "Then now."  
            Tails leaped into the air, his two tails, from which his nickname was derived, spinning like orange furry blades of a helicopter, and he was up.  His real name was Miles, but he hated that name, and was irked whenever someone called him by it; he was called Tails.  
            His blades ate the wind, and his body stole and threw aside the wind and air.  He took the space and threw it over his shoulder.  Took the space; threw it over his shoulder.  He was over the facility; the drones below appeared to be hearing something; he feared it was him so he silenced his silence.  His breathing was unstifled; did they hear it?  They heard something; they listened to something.  Tails feared; was it him?  
            Then they, or half of them, or more, marched.  It was a signal which they had heard.  
            He turned and went back the way he came, taking the air he had taken before and throwing it back over his shoulder, back to where he had first found it.  
            "They're moving! Not all of them, but a lot. Over half."  
            "Excellent. Let's wait a bit and then you drop me on the roof."  Sally looked up as she said those last words.  


* * *

  
            The great dictator gazed through his windows in the cold wall.  Windows that lied, they were; they showed not what was behind them, but what was __beyond them.  
            The door opened.  "Master, I have returned."  
            Robotnik turned.  "Ah, yes, Snively. Have you come to inform me of your **failure?" This last word came out booming, exploding, pounding, and lashing at Snively's countenance.  Snively cowered backward as Robotnik's voice stung his face.  "N-n-n-no, master. I've ret-t-turned to t-t-tell you that your g-g-general is r-r-ready with the echidna."  
            Robotnik's anger forged a smile.  "Ah, yes, have him bring the echidna to me."  Robotnik turned back.  "Y-y-yessir," said Snively.  Under his breath, he added, "you fat bastard."  
            Robotnik spun around.  "**WHAT?**" he thundered.  
            Snively shrieked.  "I s-s-s-said, you… g-g-great … master … sir."  


* * *

  
            Sally was on the roof.  She was looking at Nicole's screen, which she was using to find the way into the building.  She found the grate and pushed it aside, revealing an opening which Sally hopped through, her feet abrasively hitting the floor of the complex, sending a recoil back up her body.  
            Sally looked around.  There was, on her right, a hallway which was lined on one side with generators.  To her left was another hallway which was lined on both sides and between with darkness.  "Nicole, which one of these generators is the one we want?"  
            "The third and fourth generators are actually one generator, which powers Facility B. There should be a terminal nearby which controls the generators. I should be able to shut them down from there."  
            "If it's that easy, why don't we shut them all down while we're at it?"  
            "I planned to. It might even be beneficial strategically if there are three different structures that go down. Robotnik wouldn't be able to narrow the motive down to just Facility B, if he even suspects such a specific motive."  
            "Let's find this terminal, then."  
            Sally strode down the hallway, counting the generators.  There appeared to be seven, but she knew from Nicole that more than one of these machines composed a single generator.  She strode to the end of the hallway, and then turned around.  She spotted the terminal, on the inside wall, right of the arch beam that held the hall's ceiling, next to where she had come in.  She hurried back to the other end and connected Nicole to the small terminal which appeared to be fully housed in a small box mounted on the wall.  
            "I'm going to have the generators all shut down in two minutes. We'll want to be out of this building when they go down. Robotnik probably has cameras in here and we don't want him to see us when the power cuts out. I've issued the command now. We should leave this building immediately. The generators will go down in one minute, forty-nine seconds."  
            "Good job, Nicole," said Sally, disconnecting Nicole from the console and strapping her to her boot.  Sally stepped back under the access she had made in the ceiling.  She raised her head to see the small square of sky the hole revealed.  "Tails, pull me out!" she shouted up through the hole, at the square of blue.  
            The fox appeared, extending an arm, a hand, which Sally clasped.  The fox elevated himself into the air enough to pull Sally out of the hole and back onto the roof, where she let go of his arm.  She turned to face him and said, "The generators will shut down in about a minute. We should get out of here; we don't want to be caught at the scene of the crime."  Tails nodded, and they both jumped from the roof to the ground below, and darted together away.  
            To Tails, she asked, while still running, "Did you look again at how many SWATbots were left?"  
        Tails nodded.  "Yeah, I flew above the roof and looked from the sky there. There's still some SWATbots left in the area; maybe seven."  
            Sally pulled out the radio.  "Sonic, the generators should go down in under a minute. There's still some SWATbots around, but many less. It's still wisest to not be spotted, so I'd still recommend taking the tunnel and coming out inside the facility."  


* * *

  
            "It's our turn now, Ant. Sally says we should take the tunnel; c'mon."  
            Sonic had become bored and impatient waiting at the abandoned factory.  He had already, some time ago, found the entrance to the tunnel, and was itching to get started.  He couldn't stand staying in one place for very long.  
            "Ay, why must my princess be making me go into zee dark tunnel?"  
            "Would you rather a bunch of SWATbots come after you? Sally says there's still some on the surface. If you don't want to take the tunnel, I'd be more than happy to let them see us. I love making fun of SWATbots, y'know."  
            "Aye, très bien, Sonique. We can be taking zee tunnel."  
            Sonic rolled aside the large, 5-foot-tall circular cover that was over the entry to the tunnel.  The tunnel was large, at least at this point, and Sonic had no trouble walking right into the tunnel.  Sonic grabbed Antoine by the wrist, and without warning sprinted ahead, with Antoine in tow.  Sonic ran into the darkness, hoping the path would stay straight enough that he wouldn't crash into an invisible wall, concealed by the darkness.  Antoine was shouting as Sonic pulled him along at a speed the French fox was doubtlessly not accustomed to.  "Shut up, Ant. Don't make too much noise. Who knows if there's **__SWATbots above us?"  The word "SWATbots" was said with a hint of teasing; Antoine quieted.  
            The two now saw a very dim light somewhere ahead.  It came closer and closer until Sonic screeched to a halt.  The dim light illuminated the path ahead enough to reveal to Sonic that the path narrowed ahead.  "Stay quiet and crouch down, on your hands and knees. The tunnel isn't big enough ahead to walk through."  Antoine did, and Sonic too heeded his own words.  They crawled forward, toward the light, when Sonic suddenly stopped.  He was in the tunnel ahead of Antoine, and his abrupt halt stopped Antoine, behind him, as well.  
            "What ees it?" whispered Antoine.  
            "Sshhhhhhh…"  After a second, Sonic whispered, "I think I hear something."  
            Antoine now listened to see if he could figure out what it was Sonic heard, or thought he heard.  
        Antoine heard it too.  The sound of footsteps, or at least the sound of bodies above.  
        Some words could be made out from voices that now arose from the indistinct generic sounds that signified bodies.  "Are…ready?"  
        Sonic pulled out his radio, and whispered to it; it was the dove and he was writing the note on the little paper for it to hold in its clawed feet and take to its recipient; the messenger.  "Shhh, speak quietly," he told the dove-radio, his voice a whisper.  "There's someone here, above us, in the facility. I think it's the facility, anyway. End of the tunnel. What should we do?"  
        Sally wrote to the dove and sent it back to Sonic.  "Do they know you're there?"  
        "No."  
        "Hold on."  
        From above them, above the ceiling-floor that encroached upon their heads, more words: "Lord" … "will see you now."  
        The ceiling-floor spoke again, but its speech, as murmur, was unintelligible, except for scattered words that could be understood: "What happened?"  "…lights…" "…don't know."  
        Sally spoke again: "Tails just looked and he says there's a small airship there that wasn't there before."  
        The murmur above: "…friends…" "…safe…after…demands…"  
        Sonic replied in a whisper: "Well, should we go up there and get the drop on them, or stay hidden here?"  
        "Just wait."  
        "…taking you…"  A metallic sound.  A creaking metal.  A metallic clash.  
        Footsteps came and went, distancing.  
        Sonic spoke to the radio: "I think they're leaving. I'm going up."  
        Sonic pocketed the radio and pushed a small ventilation grate aside in the ceiling-floor, then jumped up through the vent.  Antoine came behind him, though not immediately.  Sonic looked and saw nothing, but for an empty jail cell to his right.  Sonic hurried forward to the corner and turned.  A SWATbot was there; it had been there, behind the corner, probably waiting for him; it probably knew he was there.  It knocked him to the floor.  Antoine saw and shrieked.  Antoine stood rigid still for a second, then amassed his courage and moved forward, drawing his sword and impaling the SWATbot that had felled Sonic.  Sonic brought his palm to his forehead and sat up, closing his eyes for a second, and then opening them again.  He lowered his hand and used it to stand up.  He had taken a blow but pain was the only wound.  
        Sonic stood still for a second and then turned and said, "Let's go! After them!" as he rushed down the hallway the corner led into.  Antoine, once grasping Sonic's words, followed.  


* * *

  
            Caero was standing, back-against-the-wall, at the side of the facility, outside.  He had heard the sounds arrive and was waiting for them to return.  He peeked around the corner, at the facility's front door, which was positioned closer to his wall than the opposite one.  
            Then he heard the sounds come back.  A SWATbot came out of the door.  Caero rushed at it and blew it apart with his tough fist.  He turned from the SWATbot to the door, ready to attack another, but was met not by a SWATbot, but instead by a beast, well-built, with a great mane.  Caero expected a SWATbot but was quick to recover from his unexpectancy, swinging his fist at the beast.  The beast at once swung its own arm, and its grip fell upon Caero's wrist.  Caero's swinging arm was frozen at once by the beast's grip.  The beast looked Caero in the eye with a deep glare, and then flung his arm outward, taking Caero with it.  His grip released and Caero fell from it, stumbling backward and then falling onto the ground.  The beast hurried forward and around the corner where Caero had previously been waiting back-to-the-wall.  In the other arm of the beast was now revealed the echidna's wrist; the echidna had been standing behind the beast as they walked through the door and as the beast stepped out, his form was visible.  Two more SWATbots followed behind the beast, and once out of the facility, one of them rushed ahead of the general, so that the general was guarded both in front and behind.  
            Shortly following the two SWATbots was Sonic, rushing out the door.  
            The airship was just behind the facility.  The beast and echidna and two SWATbots were hurrying toward it.  Sonic glanced to his right and his left, and the beast, already around the corner, was not seen, though Sonic heard him: he knew he was there.  Sonic did catch sight of Caero, however, who was now sitting up, and now rising to his feet.  
            "They went that way," said Caero weakly, pointing in the direction the beast had gone.  
            Antoine came through the door now.  Sonic was already in motion.  Antoine saw him, and then Caero, and didn't know who to follow.  He quickly made up his mind, however, and followed Sonic as he disappeared around the corner.  Sonic's eyes found the beast, and saw the echidna.  Sonic rushed for him, and the SWATbot at the beast's tail turned to greet the hedgehog.  The first SWATbot reached the airship, and stepped in.  The second SWATbot, which had turned to face Sonic, was firing on Sonic.  Sonic spun at it and tore through it.  The beast now boarded the airship.  From the doorway, it turned.  It shouted: "This meeting is far too important for you to crash."  The door slid closed, and Sonic dashed at the airship, meeting the door all-but-closed.  Sonic went into a spin and flung himself at the door.  He was unable to breach it, but he flung himself at it again as he heard the engines fire up.  The door showed damage from Sonic's attack, but was not breached.  Sonic flung himself at it again.  The airship hovered slightly off the ground.  This time, Sonic breached the door.  A hole was made in the door.  The ship lifted from the ground.  Sonic grabbed the edge of the hole he had made and tried to pull himself through it.  The face of the beast appeared in the window made by the hole.  "I'm afraid I can't allow you to interfere with this meeting," said the beast gruffly.  The beast paused, as Sonic pulled one leg into the ship, and then it smiled.  It clubbed Sonic in the gut, and sent him reeling out of the hole he had made, back onto the ground below.  The airship escaped.  
            Antoine was hurriedly moving to Sonic, who was on his back, staring weakly.  
            "Are you being all zee right, Sonique?"  
            "I… don't… know…"  
            Antoine helped Sonic to his feet.  Sonic managed to utter, "shit… that echidna…"  
            Antoine grabbed Sonic's radio, and spoke into it: "My princess! We are behind zee facility. Please be coming here!"  
            "We're already on our way, Antoine. We saw the airship lift off. Bunnie should be on her way too, with Laine."  
            Antoine looked up from the radio, and from Sonic, to see with horror that SWATbots were coming at him.  They must have been the SWATbots that were left in the area after the others took the bait at the factory.  There were three of them.  Alone, Antoine knew he could not stand against three SWATbots.  Sonic and Caero were in no condition to fight.  Antoine drew his sword and braced himself with great fear.  He couldn't run, either, for he had to protect Sonic.  
            Then, out of the corner of his eye, Antoine saw Bunnie and Laine.  Antoine was relieved.  
            "Together! Mes amis!" he blurted out with a shout of relief.  
            And together they fought.  


* * *

  
            Sally and Tails arrived, to find Bunnie, Laine, Antoine, and three fallen, unmoving SWATbots.  Caero had gotten up and was with them now.  Sonic was sitting, clenching his stomach with one hand and his forehead with the other.  
            "What happened?" cried Sally, slowing her run and then coming to a stop, now kneeling at Sonic, with the others around and together.  
            Sonic looked up and weakly answered: "They escaped…"  
            "Who escaped?"  
            "The echidna… a big… beast took him… in the airship…"  
            Antoine spoke: "What is being so much important of zis echidna anyway?"  
            "I really don't know," answer Sally truthfully, "but I think that it's clear now that he is very important to Robotnik, and perhaps likewise to us."  
            "What does Robotnik want with him anyway?" asked Laine.  
            Sally pulled out Nicole.  
            "Nicole, do you have any data that might explain why this echidna is so important to Robotnik?"  
            "I, as before, don't have any readable data from Robotnik that offers an explanation. However, I have since then been looking through my archives, and have found some files that may be pertinent, though I cannot answer for this specific echidna."  
            Sally looked around, and then said: "Sonic; Caero; are you good enough to walk back to the Tornado?"  
            They both nodded and stood.  The crew walked together.  
            "Nicole, please continue."  
            The crew continued walking back toward the place where they had left the Tornado XL as Nicole recalled an account.  
            "As you probably know, the Floating Island was once home to many civilizations. It once was an island, in the ocean, on Mobius, before the power of the Chaos Emeralds was used to raise the island into the sky.  
            "According to my archives, the Floating Island was once home to a number of civilizations. Most prominent of these civilizations was that of the echidna. It was the echidnas who conceived the idea of using the emeralds to lift the island and allow it to escape from the otherwise-certain doom of an impending meteorite that threatened to destroy the island and its peoples. The plan worked and the island, with the power of the emeralds, ascended into the sky, and the meteorite did come, but it hit the ocean, and the island was saved.  
            "Eventually, however, there were people who wanted to return the Floating Island to the sea, now that there was no longer the threat of a meteorite. One plan was proposed by two brothers, echidna scientists, Edmund and Dimitri. Simply removing the emeralds would cause the island to drop like a stone, so they proposed siphoning the power of the emeralds gradually, thus draining their power progressively, and slowly lowering the island back into the sea. They presented this proposal, but the magistrate refused their proposal, for it was too risky and there were no guarantees the proposal would go as planned; additionally, the chamber did not wish to tamper with the emeralds' power, for things one does not understand should not be reckoned with. Edmund accepted the magistrate's decision, but his brother Dimitri did not, despite Edmund's attempts to persuade him to calm down. Dimitri went to the Chaos Chamber, disregarding the council's forbiddance, and attempted to siphon the power from the emeralds himself, disgruntled with the refusal of his proposal. He absorbed the energy too fast, however, destroying all but one emerald. The resulting explosion caused Dimitri to absorb the energy that was supposed to be absorbed by his siphon. With the limitless power of all but one of the emeralds, Dimitri became obsessed with this power and attempted to unleash his power on the scientists in the council who had denounced his proposal, and destroy the echidna civilization that had failed to appreciate his genius. He erected a great tower, but was crushed beneath it as it collapsed under his power.  
            "Vowing not to repeat history, the echidnas abandoned science and technology, and appointed Edmund to preside as the first Guardian of the remaining Chaos Emerald. This task of guardian was passed from generation to generation, and each of Edmund's descendants was preordained guardian.  
            "The great civilizations, including the echidna city of Echidnapolis, however, have since disappeared and there is no explanation for their disappearance in my archives. The Floating Island is now scarcely populated, and there are very few echidnas still known to be there."  
            "That's a nice story and all," said Sonic, less weakly than before, "but I still don't know why that echidna is so important to Robotnik."  
            "What Ah wanna know's what happened to tha city," said Bunnie.  
            "Hm," said Sally.  
            "I have a feeling Robotnik's got a good reason," said Laine.  
            Everybody could agree on that much.  
  
_


	9. Eight

**8  
**

  
            The empty gray room was empty and gray.  The hallway was a conduit, carrying sounds to their destinations.  The railway opened its doors to allow the sounds to board, and then, as invisible as its passengers, moved swiftly down the hall and the sounds disembarked.  The invisible train arrived, and footsteps stepped from the invisible platform.  Another train; another train.  Each train brought the same sound, yet louder.  Now figures appeared on the tracks, unafraid of the invisible train which traveled less and less far but did not hit them.  They fearlessly walked the train tracks; perhaps they did not see them.  
            They came to a door and opened it.  They stepped inside, knocking the echidna to his knees and turning around, closing the door behind them.  
            Dr. Robotnik was standing here, and he turned around.  The echidna rose to his feet.  "You… are Robotnik?"  
            "Yes, my friend."  
            The echidna, Knuckles, shouted: "What do you want with me?"  
            "Well, you see, we both have need of each other. You have something I want, and I've something you want."  
            Knuckles didn't respond, only glaring coldly at Robotnik.  
            "You are—are you not?—of the house of Edmund?"  
            Knuckles blinked.  
            "You are the Guardian, no?"  
            "I… am guardian."  
            "Well, then, guardian, I have need for a certain something. The emerald, of course. There happens to be some kind of seal on the chamber, and I can't seem to break it; herein lies the problem. I need _you_ to break the seal."  
            "I… should have… known."  
            "Known what? That I needed the emerald?" Robotnik laughed genuinely. "Yes, dear lad, you should have."  
            "I… can't… let you."  
            Robotnik laughed acerbically.  "Then would you prefer to be slain at the hand of your own friend? The crocodile, perhaps – or perhaps the armadillo?"  
            Knuckles was taken aback.  
            "What… do you mean?" said Knuckles through bared teeth.  
            "I take it you haven't been yet introduced to the roboticizer?"  
            Knuckles stared blankly ahead.  
            "Allow me," said Robotnik, turning to the wall with a grin.  He pressed a button and an image of a roboticizer materialized on the nether wall.  "With this, I can turn living animals into machines—machines which do _my_ bidding."  
            "No."  
            "Oh, yes," said Robotnik like a knife.  "Now, will you help me get into the Chaos chamber, or will you need some more persuasion?"  
            A great knife struck Knuckles at the top of the skull, and sliced through his body, cutting him clean in half.  He was torn.  One half of him, with half a mouth, cried, "I'll do it!" but his other half screamed out: "No, I can't!" Knuckles staggered backward.  
            Robotnik turned back to the panel on the wall and pressed a button.  Perhaps ten seconds later, the door opened and two SWATbots stepped in, each grabbing Knuckles by one arm.  "Take twenty-four hours to think about it. I'll speak with you again then. Remember, the Chaos, or your friends' lives – and your own."  
            The SWATbots dragged Knuckles writhing out the door.  


* * *

  
THE FLOATING ISLAND…  
            A speck buzzed through the sky, humming a tune of nonmeaning, screaming abstraction.  This speck came closer to the serene locus, and was a bee.  Then the empty air moved, and was all around itself.  Nothing was shouting: "Wait!"  
            The speck, the bee in the huge, huge world, stopped.  
            Nothing was shouting.  
            "Wait!"  
            And nonentity was calling.  
            Fading in, or was the world fading out?  
            Fading in, the chameleon was; or was the nonentity just fading away?  
            "Espio!"  
            "I see you did get away, as I thought."  
            "What… where's everyone else?"  
            Espio faded out, and then back in.  "Gone."  
            "What?"  
            "Knuckles was taken; Mighty was taken; Vector was taken. All before my eyes."  
  
            There was nothing more to be said.  


* * *

  
            Walking, fading, fading, walking, accompanied by the buzz of the trivial speck of dust in the air – the one that had spoken – was the half-there entity-nonentity.  They walked in silence.  The world rose up before them, and seemed only a distant dream.  They walked to busy themselves; there was little other reason.  And then the barren world yielded something else.  A huge legion.  It was familiar, but of greater volume than they had seen before.  The two saw it, and looked at each other for a moment before scampering ahead, together, without words, to watch the proceeding from cover.  
            There was a carrier.  And there were lines and lines of robots, marching into the carrier.  The carrier's door was a funnel, a bottleneck, and the robots, sand, poured into it, gradually leaving the one world and disappearing into the carrier.  Eventually all the sand got through the finite-width mouth of the siphon.  And when it did, the carrier lifted off, full of sand, and the many lines, many bodies, were gone.  So many had stood but minutes before, and now the place they had only minutes ago occupied was empty, naked.  
            "They're… leaving?"  
            "Not all of them, I'm sure, but I think they got what they came for."  
            "What's that?"  
            "Knuckles."  
            "What comes next?"  
            "All Hell."  


* * *

  
            The door of detention opened; the red guardian pierced the invisible barrier the door's frame defined.  It was the divider between half-freedom and complete detainment.  
            The door slammed shut.  Knuckles did not move.  His mind was too busy racing to allocate time to his arms and legs, so he was frozen.  His mind was warring itself.  
            "_He can turn them into machines. Slaves. The roboticizer… can make them just like the armies that invaded the Floating Island. The island…my duty…to protect it…and the emerald. Without the emerald, the island will die…fall to the ground…be destroyed. But how do I even know? Why am I guardian? My father told me so…but he is not here. How can I trust a dead man? My friends. All I know…_"  
            Knuckles' own voice was running through his head.  All he heard was the sounds within his skull.  And now, within his head, his voice was interrupted.  Inside his head, another foreign voice, yet strangely familiar.  
            "_Koukennin! Kouken-san!_"  
            This voice was in his head.  And he did not create it.  Knuckles was started.  Where was this voice coming from?  The answer: his head, but not his mind.  He did not forge it.  Someone was speaking within him.  
            It came again.  "_You mustn't give in to Robotnik, Koukennin._"  
            Knuckles now shouted aloud in response to the voice in his head.  "Who are you?!"  
            "_In time, all will be revealed. Now is not the time. Just listen: you must not help Robotnik._"  
            "But my friends!" Knuckles was covering his face with both hands, kneeling on the ground.  
            "_You must not let Robotnik get the Chaos emerald. Do you understand?_"  
            "How can I understand?" cried Knuckles.  "How can you understand? I have nobody but for them! I can't let them die!"  
            "_You are guardian! Do not abandon your duties!_"  
            "I am guardian over an empty place and I don't even know why!" said Knuckles, half-sobbing.  
            "_That will not always be. Now listen; you must not open the Chaos chamber for Robotnik! You must defend the island of which you are guardian!_"  
            "I can't!" shouted Knuckles, tears running through his fingers.  "I must save them; they are the only family I know!"   
            Knuckles wept, and the cold gray walls were cold and gray.  They were as empty as he was.  


* * *

  
            Through the night, Knuckles twisted and turned.  He was unsettled.  His dreams were vivid monochrome.  They were nightmares.  He writhed.  His father was there, shouting at him, in his dreams, his nightmares.  His father was disparaging him, telling him overtly how he had miserably failed.  Knuckles, in his dream, turned from his father, and he saw his friends.  They were dead.  Bloody.  Their corpses were battered.  Knuckles rushed to them, but as he did, Mighty's bloody corpse rose, and it transformed.  It was now changed into machine, yet still bloodied.  The wraith of what had once been Mighty reached and clenched Knuckles by the throat.  From the ground, he saw the bloody, dead corpse of Vector.  Dead, it spoke, lifelessly and ghastly: "You… murdered… us… Wicked, you vile…"  
            Knuckles screamed.  He jolted upright, free from the horror, the agonizing torture, the terrible pain.  Knuckles wept like a child, drowning himself in his tears.  His eyes swelled and his hands buried them.  The tears pooled around Knuckles on the flooring.  He cried himself back to sleep.  


* * *

  
            The war was still invisible to the world, but in his head, another war had already begun.  His head was filled with entropy; his senses atrophied.  Nothing was alone anymore; even he, alone in the cold, dark room, was accompanied by myriad clashing pains and feelings and confusions which kept him company.  Alone, he desired nothing more than to be truly alone, for all the things that had happened to just go away, for the voices to shut up, for normality to return and comfort him.  He wanted the pain to die.  
            It would not die.  Knuckles had perhaps slept, but if he had, he was oblivious to the fact.  Knuckles wouldn't have known, for if he had consciously slept, subconsciously the agonies had kept him awake, heart pounding, so within his dream he was anything but asleep.  He had, under his own volition, agreed to meet with Robotnik, he remembered.  "_Why?_," thought Knuckles.  "_I followed the general by my own will. I brought myself here. And for what?_"  Knuckles remembered: "_To save my friends."  That was why he had come.  He had come here.  If he didn't save his friends, his bringing this pain upon himself, the four walls cold and steely around him, his following the general and walking into the airship: it would have all been for naught.  "__I didn't know what I was doing. I let my heart think for my head. I didn't reason about it before I said I'd meet Robotnik. I fell into this trap. I fell into this snare with no way out. I should have just run. I should have turned and fled."  Knuckles was tearing himself apart.  He had been stupid!  He had to put the blame somewhere, and what better place than himself?  No, not Robotnik.  It never even passed through his mind to blame Robotnik; not yet, at least, despite how culpable Robotnik was, and how vindicated the blame would be if it rested on Robotnik.  Only Knuckles was in this room.  Knuckles couldn't exact revenge on Robotnik; Knuckles was alone in this room, so **he must take the blame.  "**__If I had stayed there, Robotnik wouldn't have gotten the emerald. I came here. If I had fled, he couldn't threaten to kill my friends…and if he had killed them out of spite, he would have killed his source of blackmail, and then he'd never have any footing against me in getting the emerald. And if he didn't kill them, they'd still be alive, and I could save them! But if I went to save them, then he'd be able to threaten me and force me to where I am now…but at least that would be later. I could have had a chance. You idiot!"  Knuckles' thoughts were flowing like a great river in his head, ideas slurring together; his thoughts were as one current in his mind, rambling silently.  
            The door opened.  Knuckles was robbed of his time of self-admonishment and self-hatred and cold shame.  Two SWATbots came in.  Robotnik would see him now, they said, grabbing him each by one arm and pulling him abruptly from his dual prisons: that of the four walls, and that of the mind.  


* * *

  
            Robotnik turned around in his chair as Knuckles was brought in.  "Ah, echidna. Have you decided to accept my proposal?"  
            "What proposal is that?" shouted the echidna, still writhing within the grip of the two SWATbots.  
            "You are to open the Chaos chamber for me; you remember this, of course."  
            "And in return?"  
            Robotnik laughed coldly.  "Don't worry, echidna."  
            Knuckles fiercely thrashed, trying to step forward to feed Robotnik the pain Robotnik had fed him, but the SWATbots held him firmly.  Knuckles felt the effect of recoil as he hit the end of his proverbial leash, like a dog, but the leash was tied to SWATbots, not a tree, not a doghouse.  Knuckles stumbled backward an inch.  "Just you remember, Robotnik. I am the only one who can open the Chaos chamber for you."  
            "And I hold your friends' lives in my hands."  Robotnik clenched the empty air in his fist as he closed his hand.  "Or, at least, I have their minds. …Their souls, and their will!"  
            Knuckles let out a howl, and pulled against his leash's end again.  
            "Free them now! Free them now or I'll never help you!"  
            Robotnik smiled.  
            "You listen to me! Listen!!!" Knuckles was shouting, begging to be heard, to be acknowledged.  
            "I'm listening, echidna. It's quite entertaining, in fact, to hear you bawling as you are."  
            "Bastard! Do you not want the emerald? I can only make myself tolerate talking to you for so long."  
            Robotnik chuckled.  "Very well, then, echidna. I guarantee your friends' freedom in return for your service."  
            "I trust you about as far as I can throw you. I'm not taking your word for it. Free them first; then I'll do what you ask."  
            "I'm afraid the nature of this transaction doesn't leave itself open to that option. They'll be freed afterward; you have my word."  
            "I'd have to be a fool to believe your word!"  
            Robotnik nodded, but not to Knuckles.  Snively, who had entered the room at some point during the quite-apprehensive conversation, if it could even be called a conversation, responded to his uncle's signal and stepped up to Knuckles, raising a gun to his head.  
            Knuckles' pupils flicked for a moment to dart to see the gun at his head, and then flicked back to Robotnik.  Knuckles said angrily, "You kill me and you'll never get the emerald. Remember that."  
            Robotnik smiled.  "Unfortunately for you, that's not the case. If I kill you, there are others I can use to get into the chamber. You're simply the most convenient."  
            Knuckles was enraged.  "What are you talking about? I'm the guardian!"  Knuckles looked from side to side.  "I don't see any other guardian here!"  
            "You must be quite oblivious, my friend. Rest assured that I will kill you if I must, and that I'll still get the emerald. There are others like you that I can use to get into the chamber."  
            "There are no others like me anymore!"  
            "It's quite sad that I know more about them than you do, being that you know _nothing_."  
            Knuckles had no words.  Snively armed the gun; it clicked.  
            "So, echidna, will you cooperate with me, or will you die and your friends become machines?"  
            Inside his head, he was screaming: "__I must protect the emerald! I mustn't cooperate!" Inside his head, he was screaming: "__I must save my friends! I must!"  
            Knuckles couldn't hear anything over the sound of his own voice upon itself upon itself upon itself.  Deafened by his own screaming, he forced himself to decide, in order to silence the screaming and the bleeding of his ears.  He decided; his decision: not to decide.  The screaming voice – his own – was not satisfied with the decision of indecision.  
            "Do you guarantee the freedom of myself and my friends?"  
            "Genuinely, I guarantee it. I'll have no need of you or your friends after I have the emerald, and you pose little threat. You'll be the least of my concerns."  
            Knuckles nodded.  "Take me."  
            He had no power.  He was worthless to Robotnik.  He couldn't even stop Robotnik from getting the emerald if he tried; Robotnik had other means, he had said.  Knuckles realized that Robotnik could easily be lying, but it didn't matter.  Knuckles felt himself powerless, and thus without power he was without choice.  


* * *

  
            Knuckles sat, wrists shackled, in a corner of the grand airship as it descended.  He had seen Mighty and Vector be led onto the airship ahead of him, but hadn't been able to catch sight of them once he himself was aboard.  He heard the rumbling of the engine pale and then die.  There was a loud sound, and shortly after, he was pulled to his feet by two SWATbots, perhaps the same two as before, perhaps not; they were all but identical, so he could only speculate.  
            The ramp lowered from the grand ship's exit, and Knuckles, at the manmade hands of the two SWATbots, descended.  Shortly after, Dr. Robotnik descended the ramp.  Behind Robotnik, shortly after, came Mighty and Vector, each held in submission by SWATbots.  
            "The Chaos chamber is just over there," said Robotnik, pointing to the place of which he spoke.  
            "I __know where it _is_," said Knuckles through his teeth coldly with little emotion, but perhaps with annoyance.  
            "The Chaos chamber?!" Mighty shouted, rousing from the grip of the SWATbots that held him but unable to break free of it.  He, like Knuckles, was leashed.  
            Knuckles lowered his head and did not speak.  
            "Why are we going to the Chaos chamber?!" shouted Mighty.  
            Knuckles did not speak.  
            Robotnik spoke, but ignored Mighty's words. "March!"  
            They marched.  


* * *

  
            They reached the chamber.  There was a looming sense of unease.  It was in the air.  It existed.  It flew with the breeze and drifted and brought unease to all it passed over.  It would soon explode.  
            The marching stopped.  
            "Arms!" shouted Robotnik. Instantly, the SWATbots holding Mighty and Vector raised their weapons and aimed them at their captives' heads.  
            "Shall we, echidna?" said Robotnik with a smirk, shifting his gaze to the guardian.  
            "They'll be free?"  
            "Yes, I truly intend to keep my word. I will have no more need for you or them after this."  
            Vector shouted: "You… you're not going to… give him the emerald?"  
            Knuckles was silent.  
            Mighty reacted: "No, no… no, Knuckles! You can't! You must protect the—"  
            Knuckles reeled around; his back had been to them, but it was no more.  "I can't! I must! You're the only family I know!"  
            Robotnik laughed mockingly.  "Aw, how touching…"  
            Knuckles turned back around, without emotion, and followed Robotnik.  
  
            They came to the entrance.  "Break the seal," ordered Robotnik.  
            Knuckles looked back over his shoulder, to see Mighty and Vector pleading with their eyes for him not to do it, but then he saw Mighty and Vector themselves, and this was his reason for doing it.  
            Knuckles turned back, and placed his hand upon the seal.  He uttered ancient words.  The seal flashed blindingly, drowning the world in pure saturation of nothing but all-white.  Once it had been done, it could not be undone.  When the color was gone, the seal was gone.  Robotnik pushed Knuckles aside and entered the chamber.  
            The Chaos chamber hummed with incredible power; its walls had a crystalline quality about them despite being of stone, reflecting, or trying to reflect, all that was thrown at them back about the chamber, like a many-faced mirror that had been dulled with age.  The emerald radiated its green light and the walls of the chamber flickered with the green light as if it were the reflection of a green ocean, the light bending smoothly and reflecting in varying hues, its bends oscillating smoothly.  It was beautiful.  Even Robotnik, with his heart ironcast, was taken aback by the beauty of it all for a moment.  That did not stop him from taking it.  Robotnik stepped to the center of the great chamber, with the emerald on its clawed pedestal at his knees.  He bent, and seized the power, pulling it from the clutches of its clawed dais, which did not want to give it up.  
            As Robotnik took the emerald from its place, the chamber's anger and sorrow and resentment at having its prized possession taken from it was heard loud and clear.  The sobbing of the chamber shook its walls, and its booming anger came in rumbling from near and from far.  Robotnik quickly turned and ran from the chamber with the emerald.  
            As his shoulder passed Knuckles' shoulder, Knuckles shouted: "You will free my friends now?"  
            Robtonik had forgotten about Knuckles in his hurry to escape from the anger of the place he had violated.  Knuckles' voice reminded him, though, and Robotnik turned to face Knuckles.  "Oh, yes, I do intend to keep my word. You and your friends shall be set free."  Robotnik now ordered the SWATbots: "Off the edge!"  The SWATbots understood, as they now went into motion responding to these words.  Robotnik fled hastily toward the airship, turning his back on everything else, leaving his slaves to finish the deed.  
            Knuckles and Mighty and Vector were still in the grips of the SWATbots, and now the SWATbots were taking them somewhere.  
            The island was shaking.  Knuckles looked up for the first time to see that the clouds were running away.  
            He realized: the island was falling.  
            "Shit!" cried Knuckles.  
            No sooner had he said this than he realized where they were being taken.  The edge of the island was on the horizon and drawing nearer quickly.  Time flew by Knuckles.  He turned his head to see the time fly by but it was already long gone.  When he turned his head back, they were at the edge.  
            Robotnik's voice came in through a transmitter/receiver on one of the SWATbots' arms.  "Release them!"  Knuckles looked up to see the airship in the sky, quickly fleeting upward.  No, Knuckles realized; the island was fleeting downward.  Knuckles had barely finished this thought when the SWATbots released him violently.  He was in the air; his feet left the ground, and he was off the island.  Knuckles looked backward to see Mighty and Vector heaved off the island's edge, liberated.  As he saw this, he heard Robotnik's voice: "Now you are free!" and then Robotnik's laughter.  
            Knuckles could hardly even grasp what was going on.  He was falling like the island, but he had no footing, no place to put his feet.  He was falling.  His friends were falling.  They were liberated, from Robotnik, and from the island.  They were liberated through slavery.  Knuckles had to save his friends.  He fanned his dreadlocks and slowed his fall.  No sooner had he done this than he realized his mistake.  He slowed his fall and reached for his friends, but they fell through his grasp and were now far below him.  He had slowed his fall but now that his friends had passed him, far out of reach, falling like stones, he could not slow their fall, and he could never again catch up with them.  They were gone, out of reach, unattainable, and there was nothing he could do.  
  
            Mighty and Vector looked up to see Knuckles fan out his dreadlocks and stop as if he had let out a parachute, taut.  They were without parachutes.  Knuckles bounded away upward into the firmament, and then he was gone above.  
            In a moment, the pain was upon them.  The pain came instantaneously in one moment; the moment before they had felt no pain, and the pain felt cold, and for one single moment stinging and sharp, but for many many moments cold.  They felt cold all around them, and the cold came with a great crashing sound.  Their eyes closed when the pain lashed at them and they vomited as the sting had gutted them.  
            That instant, which brought the cold, was cataclysmic.  
  
_


	10. Nine

**9  
****   
**

            Gathered, they were, at Uncle Chuck's.  They had slept on the previous day's proceedings, and today the core Freedom Fighters were meeting with Uncle Chuck to try and get some questions answered.  Laine and Caero were left at Knothole.  When Sonic returned, he thought it a possibility that Caero would have left already.  Tails, too, was in Knothole.  Rotor, for the first time in a few days, had also come along with Sonic, Sally, Antoine, and Bunnie, leaving whatever it was he had been working on.  
            "From what I can tell, it seems that the echidna is no longer in custody," Uncle Chuck was saying.  
            "Yeah, we saw him get taken away; we know that," Sonic replied.  
            "But I can't find out where he was taken. There's no more record."  
            "But I saw him go into the airship. The beast guy said something about a meeting that was too cool for me or something."  
            "Well, from what I can tell, the echidna was transferred to the primary Detention center yesterday, but today he was discharged and I have no record of him after that."  
            "Alright, alright," said Sally.  "Let's piece together what we know."  
            "Okay," said Sonic.  "Well, I saw him on the Floating Island and he was all psycho."  
            "Why?"  
            "Why what?"  
            "Why was he 'psycho'?"  
            "Ask him!"  
            Rotor cracked a smile.  "Well, Robotnik had invaded the island with SWATbots, right?"  
            "Ah, that's right," said Bunnie.  "He was pro'lly scared and mad."  
            "Well, why did Robotnik invade the Floating Island?"  
            "Ah," said Uncle Chuck.  "That reminds me. Robotnik pulled about 65% of his forces from the Floating Island last night."  
            "Why would he be doing a ting like that?" asked Antoine, who, after a pause, tried to answer his own question fearfully.  "To be sending them to get us!!!"  Antoine was completely serious, and the anxiety in his eyes was visible; he truly considered this viable.  
            "Chill, Ant," said Sonic.  "I don't think he pulled all those SWATbots just to get _you_."  Sonic laughed.  "What would he want _you for, anyway?"  
            "If he pulled so many SWATbots all at once, he must have got what he wanted," said Rotor.  
            "The echidna," said Sally.  "He got the echidna yesterday."  
            "We already knew the 'kidna was important, Sally-girl," said Bunnie.  
            "Holy shit!" cried Uncle Chuck.  Cursing was not something Sonic's uncle was known for, so his utterance of such a vulgarity was doubly-surprising.  Everyone else turned to face him.  
            "What is it, Uncle Chuck?" asked Sally, truly concerned and alarmed.  
            "The… the island… is falling."  
            "What?!"  
            Uncle Chuck tapped a button on his console.  On the screen, an image of the Floating Island from a distance appeared.  It was indeed plummeting.  "Mah stars!" cried Bunnie.  Uncle Chuck tapped at the console again, and the image changed.  Now the camera showed, from an aerial view, the echidna being held by two SWATbots.  
            "There he is!"  
            They watched the screen.  Asudden, Robotnik appeared in the camera's view.  He brushed past the echidna, and then abruptly turned to face him.  Several seconds later, he turned again and fleetingly moved out of the camera's view.  The SWATbots holding the echidna marched, and from offscreen two more pairs of SWATbots marched through the screen and then out the other side.  One pair had held an armadillo, and the other a crocodile.  
            "Sacre bleu!"  
            Sally hit the bottom of her palm to her forehead, and then, shaking her head, said: "I just realized."  
            "What, my princess?"  
            "Remember what Nicole said? About the two echidna brothers and how one of them was appointed to guard the emerald?"  
            "Yeah."  
            "And how the guardianship was passed from generation to generation?"  
            Silence.  
            "He's the guardian, then?" said Rotor, breaking the silence.  
            "He must be."  
            "Then Robotnik must have needed him to get at the emerald," said Uncle Chuck.  
            "Damnit, I should have known! I knew it was the emerald he wanted, but it just didn't fall into place!" cried Sonic.  
            "But if his job was to protect the emerald at all costs, then why did he do it?"  
            "I don't know. Probably to save his friends."  
            "He should have known better than to trust Robotnik."  
            "So now Robotnik has the emerald?"  
            "We've got to find the echidna. There are so many things we need answered."  
            "Like what? 'How to stop Robotnik?' 'How to get the emerald back?' I don't think he knows any better than we do."  
            "And what if he's dead?"  
            "We should look for him anyway."  
            "Let's stage an assault tonight on Robotropolis."  
            "That, I can agree with."  
            "But we should go check out the Floating Island. It should still be floating: in the water, that is."  
            "Actually," said Sally. "I think we should wait until Uncle Chuck can get some more intelligence on the events before we go into Robotropolis. Perhaps we should go to the Floating Island first."  
            "What are we gonna find there?" retorted Sonic.  "The emerald's already gone. What's the point? I'm itching to kick some Robuttnik butt!"  
            Sally rolled her eyes.  "You don't have to come if you don't want to."  
            Sonic crossed his arms.  "Fine, fine, I'll come."  
            "Hopefully I'll get some intel by tomorrow," said Uncle Chuck.  "All this insanity just happened so the info about it probably won't show up for a bit. Robotnik's not even back in Robotropolis yet."  
            "We'll touch base again soon."  
            "Good luck," said Uncle Chuck.  


* * *

  
            Back at Knothole, uncertainty of the reality or its weight was suffused.  This brought impatience, even to Antoine, who normally feared and resented going on missions that were potentially dangerous; even he was impatient waiting for it to begin, for now was not the time to play, and in idleness the mind wanders, questioning everything, and the lack of answers was disconcerting, the possibilities harrowing.  
            As Sally stepped into his hut, Antoine was pacing, trepid.  He quickly stopped his back-and-forth traipsing.  "Are we to be going now?" he asked hopefully.  
            "We're meeting at the Tornado now."  
            Antoine nodded, and scurried out behind her as she turned and left his room.  


* * *

  
            Sally looked up as Bunnie arrived.  "Alright, everyone is here," she said, "so let's get going."  
            Sonic, Sally, Bunnie, and Antoine stepped into the plane; Rotor stayed behind again; Tails was already in the pilot's seat.  
            As everyone took their seats, Sally said: "Set a course for the Floating Island.  Land half a mile ahead of it."  


* * *

  
            The plane touched down gently.  The passengers filed out and started walking.  "So, what are we looking for, anyway?"  "I don't know!"  Silence, except for the sound of the dirt crushed beneath their feet after each step.  
            Suddenly, there was a yelp behind Sonic; it was the unmistakable sound of Antoine.  Antoine had been lagging behind the rest of the crew, so they all turned to see him, and, to their surprise, the echidna on top of him.  "He… he just was flying from ovar zare and was to be tackiling moi!" Antoine was rapidly explaining to the others.  The echidna turned to see who Antoine was talking to, and his eyes flashed when he saw Sonic.  Immediately the echidna released Antoine and got to his feet.  "Hedgehog," said the echidna, almost apologetically.  
            "What was __zat, etchidna?!" cried Antoine, getting to his feet and brushing himself off.  The echidna ignored him.  
            "You were right," continued the echidna.  "It was Robotnik."  
            Antoine ran around the echidna to stop between the echidna and Sonic.  He waved his hand in front of the echidna's face and said, "Hullo? Etchidna? Are you just to be attacking me from nonwhere and not au moins be making amends?"  The echidna pushed Antoine's arm aside.  "Harumph!" said Antoine exaggeratedly, crossing his arms.  
            "So you're on our side now, eh?" said Sonic.  
            "I think so. I shouldn't have give Robotnik the emerald. I should have listened to that voice."  
            "That voice?" said Sonic inquisitively.  Sonic then turned to Sally and said, "I told you he was off his rocker."  
            "I guess I should introduce myself. All my friends call me Knuckles."  
            Sonic turned back to the echidna, Knuckles.  "And I'm Sonic the Hedgehog; the fastest and most way past cool dude on the planet."  
            "I'm Sally Acorn."  
            "Ah'm Bunnie Rabbot. Pleased to make your acquaintance, sugah."  
            "And I am being Antoine D'coolette," said Antoine, his voice heavily laced with irritation, his glare chastising.  
            "I'm Tails!"  
            "You're the guardian, right?"  
            "Indeed. Not a very good one, I guess."  
            "I guess you haven't any better idea that we do as far as getting the emerald back from Robotnik," said Sally.  
            "I guess so."  
            "Whatcha talkin' 'bout, Sal? We know how to get the emerald back. We just kick Robuttnik's butt and take it!"  
            Bunnie laughed.  "That's our sugah-hog."  
            "Shit!" cried Knuckles suddenly. "I almost forgot about my friends. Have you seen them? An armadillo and a crocodile?"  Knuckles paused for a second before adding, "…and a chameleon? Or a bee—lil' guy?"  
            "Just you," Tails chipped.  
            "Damnit, damnit, damnit!" cried Knuckles.  "Robotnik threw Mighty and Vec and me off the island. I glided to safety but wasn't thinking straight and they plummeted past me. I don't have a clue where they are, or if they're even alive! I don't even know what happened to Espy and Charmy."  
            "Cool it, bro."  
            "Why don't we take him back to Knothole?" asked Bunnie, turning to Sally.  
            "We aren't supposed to—" retorted Sally, casting an accusatory glance at Sonic.  
            "We probably do need his help, him coming from the island and all," said Sonic.  
            "Zee etchidna? Help us? He is as clueless as we are being!"  
            "Well, I think he's genuine, if a bit loony. So I don't see why a little extra help would hurt? I mean, Robotnik sunk _his _island. Don'tcha think he wants revenge?" said Sonic.  
            A pause.  A single bird fluttered overhead, and it caught the glances of one or two members of the group below for a moment before it disappeared from sight.  
            Knuckles gritted his teeth and punched his palm.  "Damn Robotnik!"  Knuckles looked up.  "I understand now, that we have a common enemy."  
            "Fine," conceded Sally.  "You're welcome to come with us. We're planning to attack Robotnik."  
            Knuckles nodded, but then remembered: "What about my friends?"  
            "We'll look for them," said Sonic.  "But not now. Let's head back to Knothole, m'kay?"  
            "Knothole?"  
            "That's the name of our little village, our hideaway," explained Sonic.  
            "You can't tell anyone where Knothole is," added Sally.  "You have to keep it a secret. We're rebels against Robotnik so we have to keep our location a secret."  
            "Yeah, yeah, okay. As long as I get the chance to pay back Robotnik, I'll help you guys out, and keep your secret."  
            Sally nodded, and the group turned back, and headed back toward the Tornado.  


* * *

  
            As Tails piloted the Tornado back toward Knothole, Knuckles was recounting the events of the past days.  
            "Well, one day, me an' Mighty – that's the armadillo – were just chillin', when a big ship landed and a shitload of robots poured out. I rushed to get Mighty but he was gone, so then I went to Espio, the chameleon's house. We stole a ship and found Mighty, and Vector the crocodile, and Charmy the bee. Then we were all in the ship, and other ships attacked us. We fended them off for a bit but the ship couldn't take it much longer so we escaped to some weird old place built in the trees and stayed the night there.  
            "The next day, robots came and attacked us. That was then I saw Sonic; sorry 'bout that. Anyway, I escaped with Mighty and Espio, but Vector and Charmy were separated. Espy realized that Vector was probably going to be ambushed at the ship we had stolen, so we went there but the robots were already there and they got him.  
            "Then me and Espio and Mighty attacked a little camp and Espio read some papers but I don't even remember what they said. We started walking and we saw Vector but Espio kept telling me it was a trap and eventually he convinced me not to go save Vector.   
            "We slept and the next morning we were waked up by the sounds of robots. They found us and we ran. Mighty tripped, or maybe a robot shot him and he fell, and then I ran to save him but a robot got there first. Some beast guy – said he was a general of Robotnik – said if I didn't agree to talk to Robotnik and cooperate with him, he'd kill Mighty. So I went.  
            "When Robotnik talked to me, he told me he needed me – 'cause I was the guardian – to open the Chaos chamber for him, or else he'd turn my friends into machines and make them kill me. He put a gun to my head and I said if he killed me, I couldn't open the Chaos chamber for him. And he said he didn't care, 'cause he could get someone else to open it for him. I thought this was bullshit but he seemed pretty convinced. I told him I didn't trust him but he said he really would keep his word since he wouldn't need me or my friends once he had the emerald. So I said I'd do it if my friends would be freed.  
            "So he took me and Vector and Mighty to the Chaos chamber and I opened it. He took the emerald and the island started falling. I told him to free my friends now, and he said he'd keep his word. So he freed us, but off the island. He threw us off the island, off the edge. I guess he kept his word, but I guess he couldn't just leave it like that; he had to throw a pinch of evil into it, y'know? I glided to safety using my dreadlocks but they… fell…  
            "Oh, and some voice told me, when I was in Robotnik's jail, to not give Robotnik the emerald. I told him I had to, 'cause my friends were the only family I knew. Maybe it was a dream… no, no, it wasn't a dream, 'cause I remember my dreams. My dreams were scary. The voice had to be real."  
            "Maybe it was some Robotnik trick," said Sonic.  
            "Why would Robotnik tell me not to help Robotnik?" replied Knuckles.  
            "True."  
            "We're almost at Knothole!" called Tails from the cockpit.  
            The plane began to descend.  


* * *

  
            The polluted skies were a fog, now pierced by a huge metal bird.  The sun was set, but here you couldn't tell, for the manmade fog was ever-present.  The airship landed, leaving an auditory footprint to make its presence know, and the ramp lowered hesitantly.  Dr. Robotnik stepped down from the ramp, and his nephew was there to meet him.  "Welcome back, Dr. Robotnik," greeted Snively.  "I presume all went as planned?"  
            "Indeed, Snively. I even got the opportunity to exercise my benevolence by keeping my word to the echidna."  Robotnik laughed.  "I 'freed' him and his friends, off the side of the island!"  
            "How benign of you, my lord."  
            "Indeed. And I got the emerald, of course," said Robotnik.  "Is stage two underway?"  
            "We're waiting for your order, sire."  
            "Construction hasn't even begun?!"  
            "No, sire, you __said to wait for—"  
            "Silence!" boomed Robotnik.  "I give it now; I give the word now! Now go make it begin!"  
            "Y-y-yessir; right away, sir."  
            Snively scampered away.  
            The ramp rose back into the side of the airship and Robotnik sauntered toward his command center.  


* * *

  
            The next day…  
            Uncle Chuck turned around to face his nephew.  
            "Project UA has branched out. There are now three confirmed divisions, UA-1, UA-2, and UA-3, and two more tentative ones." He pointed to the screen to illustrate what he was saying.  "UA-1 has been archived and grayed. UA-2 and UA-3 are now open."  Sonic's uncle paused for a second, and then said: "UA-1 must encompass the task of getting the emerald, then, since it just today was archived. UA split last night after you left."  
            "Then the emerald must be just one part of this huge scheme if it's just 'part 1!' Not cool."  
            "Indeed."  
            "Do ya know anything about the other parts?"  
            "No, Sonic; I don't even know for sure that UA-1 is the emerald; I'm just guessing."  Uncle Chuck tapped at the console.  "Robotnik seems to be building something big. He just started since the last time I saw you."  On the screen, a large number of SWATbots could be seen constructing something; the framework of the base had been finished, but nothing more than that.  
            "We'll go strike that construction rig tonight, Unc."  
            Chuck scribbled something on a small leaf of paper, and handed it to Sonic.  "These are the rough coordinates."  Sonic took the leaf, and Chuck said: "Just be careful. Robotnik seems extra edgy lately."  
            "I will, Unc. Catch ya later."  


* * *

  
            "Here's the plan, guys: Tails will take the Tornado with Rotor and me behind the construction site. Sonic, Bunnie, and Antoine will attack from the front," Sally was explaining.  
            "Where are Laine and Caero, anyway?" asked Sonic.  
            "Laine wanted to come, but I told him his wife was probably missing him; he's married, you know? I'm sure he'll be back – he seems eager –, but I don't want to burden him too much," said Sally.  "I haven't seen Caero since the last mission in Robotropolis. He probably went back to his clan, again."  
            "Fair enough about Laine," said Sonic.  "And I guess Caero leaving without saying a word isn't so strange; he left before without saying goodbye."  
            "Where's Knuckles?"  
            "He's sleeping, last I checked. Don't want to underrate how much he needs it."  
            "I'm sure it's long overdue."   
            "Anybody have any questions?"  
            "Yeah, what exactly is this thing we're tryin' to destroy?" asked Bunnie.  
            "Dunno," said Sonic, "but it's Robuttnik's and it sure is ugly."  
            "I've got some explosives," said Rotor.  "Hopefully they'll be enough to bring down whatever it is."  
            "If not," said Sally, "we'll think of something. Sonic, Bunnie, Antoine, create a distraction but also try to do whatever damage you can, especially to the SWATbots that are working at the site."  
            Antoine nodded, with a bit of hesitancy that was so fundamental to his character.  
            Sally pulled out Nicole.  "Nicole, show the location of the site's coordinates within Robotropolis."  
            "Affirmative, Sally," said Nicole, who projected an image of Robotropolis with the construction site illuminated.  
            "That's where you're headed," said Sally to Sonic.  
            "Gotcha," acknowledged Sonic.  
            "Y'all ready?" said Bunnie.  
            "Yeah," said Tails.  
            Sonic turned to Sally.  "I'll let you know when we're in position."  
            "Alright, then," said Sally.  "Let's get moving."  


* * *

  
            Sonic could see, a ways off, the scaffolds raised against the metal skeleton of the thing that was being constructed.  The base of the structure had been completed, and, unlike the towering bare skeleton above it, was not naked, and was solidified with steel.  SWATbots were hard at work in bringing more steel to the site and passing it up the tower to more robots on the scaffolds, who welded it together.  Other SWATbots were working on covering the bare framework with larger pieces of steel to clothe the hollow frame.  
            "We're almost there, guys," said Sonic to Bunnie and Antoine behind him, as he crept toward their destination.  
  
            They came to the place, and Sonic spoke into his radio.  "We're in position, Sal."  
            "Good. Wait about thirty seconds, and then rush."  
            "Gotcha."  


* * *

  
            On the other side of the site, which was humming and clanking with the sounds of SWATbots at work, Tails had parked the Tornado and accompanied Rotor and Sally, who had just pocketed her radio after getting word from Sonic.  They were stationed off to one side of the construction job, so as to not yet be seen through the hollowness of the metal girders not yet coated.  The Tornado was not far off of the other end of the tower-in-making's backside.  
            "Are the explosives ready to go?" asked Sally to Rotor.  
            "They should all be armed now. As soon as we get our distraction, I'm ready to plant them on the structure's supports."  
            Sally pulled out Nicole.  "Nicole, can you assess this structure's weaknesses and structural dependencies?"  
            "Yes, Sally. Processing…"   
            Just then, a large commotion was heard.  From the commotion came a voice that spoke above the rest: "Hey, bucketheads!"  Sonic was in action.  
            Nicole projected a wireframe image of the structure being constructed.  Rotor looked over Sally's shoulder.  "The primary dependencies are here, here, and here," said Nicole, illuminating a beam in the image with each reference.  "The main weaknesses, thanks in large part to a non-uniform distribution of the workforce, are all of these beams on the back side…" Nicole illuminated what appeared to be the entire back side of the structure.  "…and these beams."  Nicole illuminated a few scattered beams throughout the rest of the structure.  
            "Got it," said Rotor.  Rotor peered around the corner and through the gaps in the frame, to see that Sonic and Bunnie were keeping the SWATbots rather busy.  Antoine was even helping a bit.  
            "What should I do?" asked Tails.  
            "Actually," said Rotor, "you might be of great use."  Rotor fished two explosives out of his backpack.  "Since you can fly, go plant these explosives on the middle beams on the back side."  
            "Do I need to press anything?" asked Tails.  
            "No, no, no," said Rotor quickly. "Don't press anything! They're already armed!"  
            "Oh, sorry."  
            "No, don't worry; I'm glad you asked. Something bad could have happened if you didn't know."  
            "Alright, Sally," said Rotor.  "I'm going before our luck runs out."  
            He heaved his backpack onto his shoulder and set out.  Tails lifted into the air.  Rotor ducked behind steel pillars as he made his way to the other side of the structure.  He was at once inside a metallic jungle.  Steel bars were all around him, like a cylindrical prison.  Like an irate jailbird, he would have to break free of his cell.  He swung his backpack around to in front of him, and procured two explosives from it.  He planted them on opposite sides of the base of the support and then, looking around, darted to his next target.  His hands worked quickly and carefully while his eyes took care of getting the hands where they needed to be.  The next bar that held him in the prison cell, the next waiting bombs; the next steely adversary, the next things to destroy it.  His eyes navigated and his hands worked until his backpack was empty, and then he could do no more.  He had fulfilled his plan and now he would have to wait for its wheels to start turning so the prison could fall.  He then discredited his own motives, as he walked between the bars and stepped right out of the cell.  It seemed his plan had been overkill.  Yet it would be a shame to have it go to waste.  He wouldn't let it go to waste.  
            "Alright, Sally, the bombs are planted. Get Sonic's team out of there and we can detonate."  
            Sally spoke into her radio: "Sonic, mission accomplished. Get out of there so we can blow it up."  
            "Gotcha, Sal. We'll meet you back at Knothole."  
            Sally put the radio ahead, and, with a motion of the hand, said: "Let's go!"  
            She, Rotor, and Tails headed hastily back toward the Tornado, which was not far away.  When they saw it, however, there was – for Sally and Tails, at least – a horrible sense of déjà vu: as before, SWATbots had discovered the plane.  
            "Damn!" exclaimed Sally.  
            They stood for several moments in silence and motionlessness.  
            "Wait a second," said Rotor, breaking the silence.  He indicated toward the Tornado.  Sally and Tails looked up to see what he saw.  
            They were leaving.  The SWATbots were leaving.  In silence, the three waited several more moments, for the robots to move further and further away, and then, after looking at each other for a moment, they ran toward the Tornado in relief.  How lucky they had been, they thought.  As Tails fired up the plane's engine and its propellers cast an illusion of going one way and then the other, the plane took off.  Behind them, the SWATbots did not turn.  Rotor pulled the detonator out of his backpack.  
            His finger found the button, and then depressed it, slowly.  
            It was a marvelously cacophonous sound.  The huge structure was shot in the knee, and it fell, grabbing hold of a crutch made of itself.  It tried, disabled, to limp away with its good leg, but it was shot again in its back side and its one leg disintegrated in a radiating inferno that reached outward from its dying heart.  Now without its back leg, it fell, bringing itself down upon itself, and it lay in a heap as its last embers of life flickered and died.  


* * *

  
            Later, back at Knothole…  
            "That was an awesome explosion, Aunt Sally[1]!"  
            "Indeed it was, Tails," said Sally with a chuckle.  
            "Aye, zat escapade was making my heart be thounding!"  Antoine's voice came from a distance, and Sally looked up to see that he had arrived back at Knothole with Bunnie and Sonic.  
            "It's 'pounding,' Ant. Or 'thumping,' if you butchered it _really_ bad," said Sonic.  
            "Well, sugars, it looks like we sure got Robotnik good!" said Bunnie cheerfully.  
            "Indeed, this mission was nothing less than a resounding success," said Sally.  
            "_Ka-boom!_" shouted Tails, trying to demonstrate the explosion with the gestures of his hands.  
            Just then Rotor came running.  "B-bad news, guys…"  
            Everyone looked up simultaneously.  
            "Bad news… guys, I have some bad news… bad news, guys…"  
            "What is it, Rotor?" said Sally, somewhat alarmed.  
            "I just found… on the Tornado… a… tracking device…"  
            Everyone's faces were flushed away, paled instantly.  


* * *

  
            Snively walked down the empty hallway, his thumbs fidgeting excitedly as he walked.  He came to the door, and paused for a second before opening it.  
            "Sire."  
            Robotnik's chair swiveled.  "Yes, Snively?"  
            "The construction is going as planned, sir."  
            "Yes, I see. Excellent work, Snively."  
            "In addition, I have some especially good news to report, sir."  
            "Ah, I am pleasantly surprised. Please do tell."  
            "The third stage has been triggered, m'lord. Your hole managed as desired."  
            "This is good news indeed. I didn't expect it so soon."  
            "Yes, my lord; I too was amiably surprised."  
            "Thank you, Snively. I am… pleased with you."  
            Robotnik's chair swiveled again.  
            "Laugh, hedgehog, laugh! The war begins now, hedgehog. The war begins now!"  
  
  


* * *

[1] Sally is not actually Tails' Aunt; he just calls her that.  
_


	11. Ten

**10  
**

  
            The world was empty.  It was cold; so very, very cold.  His body ached.  His eyes were tightly clinging shut, his eyelids holding onto one another firmly, unwilling to let go for fear of what they might see.  And then it came.  A pain in his chest.  It struck sharply once and he still kept his eyes blind, hoping it would go away.  And then it came.  Again.  And it was not just a moment; it was unremitting, chronic.  The pain moved to his throat and squeezed.  He was suffocating.  His eyes flashed open and were immediately flooded in with water.  They blinked again to ward off the obtrusive water, but when they opened, even more was there.  And everything was a shade of blue.  Yet there was nothing.  Nothing was a shade of blue, and nothing was everything.  
            He was in the water.  He couldn't swim.  In his mind, he was dead.  It didn't matter if he could reach air, for he would never escape this eternal gulf.  Suddenly, he was lifted.  Not by his own volition, for his arms and legs were unwavering, but he was lifted.  He felt a body grip his sides and thrust him upward, and suddenly the emptiness collided with another emptiness, and he was above the water, gasping for air instinctively, mechanically.  He spun around and his memory awakened, and for the first time since the cataclysm, his memories knew he was not alone.  Vector, the crocodile, was awake again, and could swim.  Drenched, he was moving silently, as his friend towed him, slowly but steadily away from the site of the deluge.  
            They moved, as one, in silence, for they were too exhausted to speak, and what could be said?  The water parted with each swoop of the one arm; the other arm held close the body unable to swim.  


* * *

  
            _"I know your intentions are virtuous, but I must dissent. Should we reveal the Truth to him now, he will lose focus. We cannot bring too much into his world at once, or he will be unable to fulfill the destiny he must repair."_  
_            "And should we let the City speak for itself? It cannot hide forever. Should It return before we tell him the Truth? Wouldn't you rather he hear it from your lips?"_  
_            "We must hope it secretes until the time has come. We must use our invisible hand and our invisible face to turn the cogs. He must wield the focused virtue before he can be painted into the big picture."_  
And then there was darkness.  
            _"He turned away."_  
_            "He had another motive."_  
_            "But he turned away, and disavowed parts of the Truth. He turned away because he didn't know; you wouldn't speak."_  
_            "I spoke."_  
_            "But you didn't tell him what he needed to hear."_  
_            "It would have been too much. Already much was upon him. The Truth is too heavy. I am too much a burden."_  
_            "But he turned away because he didn't know."_  
_            "He turned away and he would have turned away regardless! The time is not now!"_  
_            "And Entropy will have its reign because of this?"_  
_            "Entropy has long reigned; Entropy has long reigned."_  
_            "Not like this!"_  
_            "You forget history. When under the tower, the madman was crushed, Entropy had its reign. When the Daitoshi faded, Entropy had its reign. And Entropy has not usurped the throne; it has long reigned. It simply came from hibernation."_  
_            "This is not a game! Hakyoku is nothing to take lightly! Maybe he should know! Then maybe this Kyouhen, Hakyoku wouldn't be in the history books of our future generations. Maybe Entropy would have been dethroned."_  
_            "Don't **you** tell **me**! I think **I have the right to make my ****own decisions regarding him. Haven't I the **right**?"**_  
_            "Yes, you do. But I think perhaps you should not be so stubborn…"_  
_            "Stubborn? You fail to fathom the immense burden there would be upon you if you were fed so much at once! You cannot fathom!"_  
_            "Perhaps not, but…"_  
_            "He is not mentally prepared yet for such the monumental Truth; it is not yet time!_  
_            "…"_  
_            "The ending is yet unwritten; he shall yet write it; he holds the Quill."_  


* * *

  
            And then there was a mountain.  
            And then it was struck down.  
            The world hung from a thread.  
            And all the trees uproot'd.  
            And then there was a flower.  
            And then there was a boot,  
            and then it crushed the flower.  
            And then he was mute.  
            And then there was a knife,  
            and then it cut the thread,  
            and then the world fell,  
            and then everything burned,  
            and then there was no refuge.  
            And then there was no refuge.  
            And then there was no end  
            to the persecution  
            that was in his head.  
            Even he was his own  
            closest enemy.  
            Even he wasn't on his side,  
            And even he would scorn him,  
            and scorn his every move.  
            And even he was bitter,  
            so he'd always reprove.  
            And 'vrything he ever did,  
            no matter how small,  
            was always monumental  
            when he took the fall.  
            And then there was a circle.  
            And then there was a knife.  
            And the knife cut the circle.  
            And the knife cut his life.  
            And there were  
            a thousand times  
            when he wished  
            that the lines  
            of the circle  
            would just meet  
            but the knife  
            but the knife  
            .  
            cut his life.  
  
            Dreaming once again about what he had done wrong, he beat himself and beat himself and took the blame; never forgave.  And he turned and turned and writhed.  


* * *

  
            And where once there were many, there were now none.  The Truth hid them.  Like the clawed dais, the few clutched the secrets of the many and hid with the thing they held tightly to their bosoms, and from beyond the beyond glared scornfully at those outside.  
            All will come with patience of time.  


* * *

  
_            "So, what should we do?"_  
_            "About what?"_  
_            "Hakyoku… Kyouhen…"_  
_            "He will find a way."_  
_            "But we don't even know what else is coming. It may become far too big for him to handle."_  
_            "We'll have to put faith in the rest of the world. Perhaps he will even join with them."_  
_            "And what if he cannot, or what if they cannot?"_  
_            "We can lead him to the Relics if the need arises."_  
_            "And just hope?"_  
_            "We are not gods, my friend. We can't just push a button and annihilate the enemy. We must entrust the deed to him."_  


* * *

  
            "Sir?"  
            "Yes, Snively?"  
            "Construction is going as planned. Do you have any further orders for me?"  
            "Not now, Snively. Just be on the ready. Have you made the appropriate preparations for stage three?"  
            "Yes, sir. Stage three is ready, sir."  
            "Excellent. I will launch stage three tonight, then, after midnight."  


* * *

  
            "W-w-what should we d-do?"  
            "Calm down for a second," said Sally, though she too was visibly nervous.  "Do we even know for sure that we're being tracked?"  
            Rotor slowly nodded.  "It's in working condition."  
            "Hey," said Sonic.  "Maybe it's not even Robuttnik's! Maybe it's something you put on there to keep track of where we are, and you just forgot!"  
            Rotor shook his head.  "It's Robotnik-made. I can tell."  
            "I am not liking zee sound of these!" said Antoine.  
            Tails looked up at Sally like a little child.  "What does this mean, Aunt Sally?" he asked, fear in his eyes.  
            It took a few moments for Sally to force out a reply, but it came, abrasively, through her throat: "I… I don't know, Tails. Not for sure, I don't know. Why… why don't we just go to sleep and … worry about it in the morning?"  
            Sally cast her glare around the group, and they knew not to betray her silent order.  They knew she didn't want to worry Tails unnecessarily, so they nodded and walked nervously away.  Perhaps Sally should have been worried for Antoine too.  He stood rigid.  "Go on to bed, Antoine," said Sally.  "We'll discuss this tomorrow. There's not much we can do now, anyway."  Antoine didn't move.  Sally nudged him.  "Antoine…"  "Oui, my princess. I am to be sleeping now, while Robotnik is to be killing me—" Sally elbowed Antoine forcibly, and he quickly shut up, heading shakily to his hut.  Tails was still looking up, wide-eyed, at Sally.  "Go on to bed now, Tails."  
            Tails nodded silently, and slowly walked to his hut, pausing once to look back over his shoulder at Sally, and then continuing once she returned his look.  
  
            Everyone slept but did not sleep.  


* * *

  
            Sonic was half-asleep.  His eyes were closed and his senses were detained, but he could not fully drift off.  The world was so far away.  They had met resounding success with their last mission so why couldn't they just celebrate?  Everything always had to go wrong!  Everything was just a mirage now.  It had all looked so good afar but when seen from close up, it vanished and there stood Robotnik, laughing and marring him and tearing his revelry to shreds.  
            And then a thousand voices came like a thousand needles in his brain.  Who could tell how many voices there were really?  They came as a thousand.  And when they came, loud and rousing, Sonic left his head to meet an equally unhappy reality.  And he could hear the heat.  
            Sonic was not normally a quick-waker, but he could feel the harsh heat like sandpaper across his chest.  And his eyes blinked open like a mousetrap that had been sprung on its prey, after long waiting.  And he threw the space from over him, and rushed outside.  And then he saw.  
            Red.  
            Red, orange, red.  
            He could hear the red, orange, red, and feel it, and smell it, and above everything else he could now see it as it consumed.  It consumed what it touched, slowly devouring in order to fuel itself and keep going and grow larger and stronger, like an omnipresent parasite.  
            Sonic stood in loathing awe, as he looked and saw the color encompassing all.  Everything before him was tinted red, and the whole sky before him flickered and danced.  The burning orange was the one, malevolently magnificent light, and it lit the world as it destroyed it.  It illuminated the world, as if to flaunt its destructive power, laughing as it shined its discerning light upon its prey so that anyone present would be able to observe its show of destructive might as it incinerated and then devoured the thing it made visible.  
            Sonic heard movement from his left ear.  "Sonic! Sonic!" Sally's hand met his shoulder.  "Sonic!"  She nudged him but he didn't respond.  "We have to get underground, now!"  Sonic didn't respond.  She reached and grabbed his arm with both hands, dug her feet into the ground, and pulled him from his standing spot.  
            But he could not avert his gaze.  It ensnared him.  It enthralled him, and he could not look away.  The blaze consumed, and the parasite captivated his mind.  Sally pulled him away and his eyes burned, a reflection of the horror he had witnessed and could not escape.  


* * *

  
            "Has everyone been evacuated?"  
            "SWATbots came. I don't know if they set the fire themselves, but they came."  
            "I know! I saw the SWATbots! But has everyone been evacuated?"  
            "I think so, except for the ones the SWATbots captured."  
            "How many?"  
            "How should I know? If I'd sat around counting—"  
            "They don't know about the underground part of Knothole, do they?"  
            "I don't think so. The Tornado's hangar is above ground."  
            Tails was sobbing.  "Home… my home… Robotnik… home…"  
            "Sonic?"  
            Sonic was staring blankly into space.  
            "Sonic?"  
            He started, for the first time since he had been woken, blinking several times and then turning to answer the call of his name.  
            "…so, Robotnik's found us…"  Sonic stared at the ground.  
            "Sonic…"  
            "Ever since Robotnik took over, and tore our lives apart, leaving most of us alone and orphaned, we've struggled. We found each other, and ever since then we've been trying to build a new home. Robotnik destroyed our world so we built another here in Knothole. Robotnik tore our families from us as we cried, so we've been trying to build a new family.  
            "And then, in the blink of an eye, it was all taken away again. Robotnik struck us down, so we built up again. But now he's stuck us down again, and what do we do now?"  
            "He's taken our home again," replied Sally dejectedly, "but this time, we're one up."  
            Sonic looked up to catch Sally's caring eyes in his.  
            "We're one up. He's broken our home again, but this time he hasn't taken our family."  
            Sonic tried hard to smile, but it just wouldn't come.  
            Bunnie stepped over now.  "We'll build a new home, an' it'll be better than the last, sugah-hog."  Bunnie placed her hand on Sonic's shoulder.  
            Sonic didn't look up.  He could still see the fire crackling, dancing, spitting in his eyes.  "Robotnik…" Sonic slowly stood up, and Bunnie let go of his shoulder.  "Robotnik… Robotnik… you'll pay. You'll pay for this."  
            Bunnie reached for him again.  "Don't get ahead of yourself, sugah! It's not safe tah go up there yet. Don't be too hasty. The SWATbots are still there."  
            Another voice came suddenly from behind Sonic.  "So… this is your life, huh?"  
            Sonic reeled around, fist raised.  "Shut up!"  
            It was Knuckles, who stumbled backward an inch, not expecting this reaction.  "No, I didn't mean it like that!"  
            Sonic stepped forward again, and Bunnie restrained him.  
            Knuckles looked to the floor.  "Trust me. I feel your pain."  
            Sonic's rage subsided, but he did not speak.  
            Knuckles looked back up again.  "I have no home."  
            Knuckles returned his gaze to the soil.  "And I have no family."  
            Sonic's gaze, too, shifted to the ground.  He spoke, but in a whisper, almost mumbling.  "I watched it burn…"  


* * *

  
            "Sire."  
            "Ah, Snively…"  
            "Knothole has been razed, your lordship."  
            Robotnik grinned.  "Most excellent."  
            "We've taken some prisoners. Noone important, but they'll still be workers nonetheless."  
            "Yes."  Robotnik paused for a moment.  "Recall the SWATbots in Knothole. We've burned the wretched place; they're not needed anymore. The Freedom Fighters have no place to go. Relocate the SWATbots to the S2 construction site. We can always use more workers there."  
            "Yes, my liege. Right away."  
            Snively turned and exited the room.  
            Robotnik turned back to his eyes.  He let out a laugh.  


* * *

  
            "So, what do we do now?"  
            The answer was silence.  
            "We need help."  
            "I could have been telling you _zat much."  
            "Other Freedom Fighters."  
            "That's right," cried Sally, raising her arm.  "We ran into some from Tarahassas[1] a while back."  
            "And?"  
            "And…" Sally paused, and then turned to Sonic.  "Sonic, you remember where Tarahassas is, right?"  
            Sonic had collected his wits at this point – somewhat, at least – and blinked before nodding his head.  
            Rotor stepped up from further down the tunnel.  "The coast seems clear," he said.  "At least right around the stump."  
            "Go, then, Sonic," said Sally, half-smiling, choking on the false smile.  "You can get there quickly."  
            Sonic raised his head and spoke, unusually soft for his character, and devoid of his trademark wryness and animation: "And what do I ask them?"  
            Sally's response took a moment, but it came: "Just tell them we need their help; that we've been attacked; to send as many as they can."  After a second, she added: "And ask them if they know of any other Freedom Fighters."  
            Sonic nodded, and pulled himself to the surface, through the discreet tree-stump that served as the gateway between hell and haven.  Once again the scene was upon him.  
            The world was burning.  His world was torn from his crying hands again.  The green sanctuary, once untouched by the cold hand of metal, was now red and orange and dancing away what once had been home.  And now Robotnik knew where it was.  They couldn't build it here again.  This place was dead.  He smelled the smoke and ash and preempted a tear with immense haste, blowing the world behind him, covering it, adrenaline coating it, running so he could not think of it.  He tore up the ground.  


* * *

  
            It was black.  And then what was an eternity was blinked away.  He felt the weight upon him, and at first wished he hadn't awoken, if it had brought this heaviness upon him.  He shut his eyes but realized that he couldn't make himself sleep again.  With another blink, he rose to his feet.  
            He didn't remember where he was, or what had happened, or why he was here, alone, deserted.  He gazed around, and as far as he could see in one direction, barren desert.  In the other direction, far off, a forest, but that was far off and there was much aridity between it and him.  He gazed down, now, at himself, and saw that he was bruised.  Yet he still couldn't answer himself.  Only could he bring more questions.  Why was he wounded, alone, and confused?  
            He looked up, now.  The moon was farther away than ever before.  


* * *

  
            The Tarahassas Mountains were sparsely dotted with plant cover: a few bushes here, a patch of grass and weeds there.  The climb was not terribly steep, but inclined enough to slow Sonic down.  Still, he tore up the mountain with notable speed.  
            Suddenly, he stopped.  "_Where was the entrance, again?_"  He hadn't taken note of this small detail; he racked his brain for the answer.  And when he found it, he managed to laugh oh-so-softly.  The entrance was at the base of the mountain, but it should be on the other side.  Sonic wasted no time in retreating back down the mountain, and circumnavigating it to reach the spot he thought he remembered once entering.  Yet he saw only the mountain, same as before.  He did not ponder this for more than a few moments, though; staring wasn't his thing.  "__I guess it wouldn't be too good if the entrance was obvious… man, it sure would have sucked if the entrance to Knothole underground was obvious…"  Sonic shuddered at the thought, but again didn't brood on it for long.  "There was a branch," said Sonic aloud.  He quickly spotted a lone branch sticking out of the side of a rock pile.  He approached it, and pulled it.  This produced a grinding sound; what an odd branch it was to make a grinding sound.  The grinding didn't come from the branch's chafing of the stones, however.  It came from the mountain shifting.  Just to Sonic's left, a part of the mountainside was rotating on an axis through its vertical center.  As the rocks turned as one, they formed two hollows, and Sonic quickly dashed through.  As Sonic stepped forward, down the hall within the mountain, he heard the grinding again behind him as the door closed.  
            "Halt!"  
            Sonic stiffened.  After a moment, he spoke: "Yo; I'm Sonic and I come on behalf of the Knothole Freedom Fighters."  
            "Freedom Fighters?"  The speaker emerged from the shadows, and Sonic could now see that it was a bobcat.  "Hm… you look familiar."  
            "I've been here before. It's really important now. I need to talk to your leader, or all of you at once."  
            The bobcat was silent for a second, and appeared to be scrutinizing Sonic.  When he looked up to make eye contact, he replied, "Very well. Come in."  
            The bobcat led Sonic down the hall.  As they turned corners, scattered faces looked up to see who it was that passed.  
            "Han!"  
            A goat turned in response to the call.  
            "Yes, Zoru?"  
            "Outside Freedom Fighter here to see you."  
            The goat, Han, shifted his gaze to Sonic.  "Ah, have we met before?"  
            "Yeah, briefly. My friends and I rescued one of your guys from Robotnik, I think; I think his name was Robin?"  
            "Ruben."  
            "Yeah. I come from Knothole and bring word from Princess Sally."  
            "Ah, the Princess.  Of Acorn?"  
            "Of Acorn."  
            "Continue."  
            "Robotnik found Knothole. We're hiding underground now. I'm here to ask for your help. To send as many of your people as you can to help us."  
            "I express my deepest condolences to you, but I'm afraid we can't just abandon our own home. I don't know what help we would be anyway."  
            Sonic gritted his teeth but did not yell.  After several moments, he looked around the room, at the rock walls and the stone ceiling.  Then he looked at Han again.  "You guys seem to be pretty good at digging."  
            "Yes…"  
            "We could sure use your help digging underground Knothole."  Sonic wasn't sure exactly why, but it seemed true enough to him that perhaps enlarging Knothole's underground would be beneficial, and regardless he had to convince Tarahassas to help.  
            Han sighed.  
            "Pleeeeeeease," Sonic said, with a smile, like a youth trying to get his parents to buy him that new bicycle.  
            "Well, I suppose you did save Ruben. We owe you one—"  
            Sonic interrupted.  "It's more than that. We are one. We should work together to fight Robotnik."  
            "I'll send some of our guys with you. Just stay here while I go get them."  
            Han brushed past Sonic and disappeared around a corner.  
            When Han returned, he was accompanied by three others: a lynx, a beaver, and the woodpecker, Ruben.  They carried chisels and picks and the lynx carried a plump black briefcase.  
            "This is Rand Shiro, the lynx; Kaire, the beaver; you know Ruben, I presume."  
            "Yeah," said Sonic, who after a moment blurted out: "Oh, one more thing!"  
            "Yes?"  
            "Do you know of any other bands of Freedom Fighters?"  
            "Actually, yes, we recently met a group from the south. I'll send that information along with Rand if you'll just wait a moment."  
            Moments passed.  And when they were gone, Sonic nodded and uttered a thanks, and turned back for the door as Rand Shiro, Kaire, and Ruben followed, tow in tow.  The trip back to once-Knothole gave much time, and there was much to talk about.  


* * *

  
            "We can't rebuild here. Robotnik knows where it is."  
            "So where can we build?"  
            "…Underground."  
            "What kind of life is that? Hiding underground—"  
            The stump in the soil ceiling opened, and the conversation was interrupted.  Sonic dropped through the hole, and then came a pile of metalstuffs, and a fat black briefcase, and then a lynx, a beaver, a woodpecker.  But Sally, not one of them, was first to speak: "I'm Princess Sally Alicia Acorn; thank you so much for coming."  
            It took the newcomers a few seconds to get oriented after dropping through the hole in the one floor to land, imperfectly—jarringly—, on another.  Once they had their bearings, Kaire spat out a simple stuttered "sure."  Rotor, who was present, caught the pile of rusty metal on the floor in his eye's corner, and remarked, "What's this?" as he pointed.  
            They did not instantly grasp what it was Rotor was referring to, but the realization came flutteredly.  "Oh, that," said Rand abruptly.  "Digging tools."  
            An idea came suddenly to Sally.  "Digging—digging tools! We can rebuild Knothole. Somewhere else in the Forest. We just have to dig our way there!"  
            "But that would take forever… such a long distance," said Ruben, who had been informed of the situation by Sonic during the trip to once-Knothole.  
            "But we have to start—…to try," said Sally.  
            "It might not take __that long," said Rand.  "I packed along a special something."  He motioned with his head to the bulbous black briefcase.  "It'll still take time, but at least it might be possible. We couldn't hope to dig __that far with just picks and chisels."  
            "What __is that, exactly?" asked Sonic, eyebrows raised.  
            "A pack of explosives, made especially for digging," answered Rand.  "I only have so many, but they're quite good while they last."  
            "Well, then," said Sally, with a slight trace of what might have been a smile, as she pulled out Nicole and pulled up a map, "let's pick out a site for the new Knothole… Knothole II."  
  
            If it was a promise, it was a far-off one.  Everybody knew that regardless of any optimism, it would not be quick.  Rand's package made it swifter than impossible, but by no means quick, perhaps not even a reality at all.  There was no cure-all, no panacea.  But they drowned themselves in faked optimism until they could no longer breathe.  
  
  


* * *

[1] The Knothole gang met the Tarahassas Freedom Fighters (from the Tarahassas Mountains) in the dismal Volume I.  
_


	12. Eleven

**11  
**

  
            It had been a long two weeks.  Many of them had not even seen light yield to dark and dark defer to light.  They only had watched the hours tick by and scratched the days on the wall like cavemen did.  They had made good progress.  They were almost there.  But Rand had run out of his explosives and progress had been hindered greatly.  It would take another week, they had estimated, before they would be able to surface at the future site.  And once they were there, the daunting task of rebuilding Knothole itself still would lay ahead of them.  
            "I bet Uncle Chuck's worried sick about us."  
            "Jeez, I never even thought about that."  
            "After seeing Knothole burn two weeks ago he must think we're dead."  
            "I'll… go see him…"  


* * *

  
            Sonic pulled himself out through the tree-stump into the shadow of the former Knothole.  There wasn't much to see anymore.  Some structures still stood.  Sonic suspected the Tornado was still intact, though probably not working, since it quite as satiating to the flame as wood.  But everywhere, there was ash, blackened remnants of trees, trunk-bottoms basalt, torn from their bodies, eaten alive by the inferno.  Then Sonic looked to the left, and he saw.  The fire still burned.  There was nobody to put it out, so it would burn until it died naturally, or someone rose to the task of squelching it.  It was nowhere near its former strength or size, but neighboring trees still burned slowly.  Sonic sought to purge this image and its associated memories, as he turned back to gaze forward, and his feet moved to follow.  
            Sonic closed his eyes as he quickly walked out of the shadow, throwing the painful vestige behind him, as if this would make him forget.  But nothing could make him forget.  
            Suddenly, he heard a crunching footstep, as the charred twigs beneath someone's advance broke apart again.  His eyes shot open.  "Who's there?"  
            He felt a tap on the shoulder from behind and heard its voice.  "It's me."  
            Sonic would not turn around to face it, for fear of again seeing Robotnik's heavy footstep which had crushed him and his.  So Sonic restated to the space ahead: "Who?"  
            "Caero."  Caero came around and now stood in front of Sonic.  
            "Hey."  
            Sonic didn't want to talk about what had happened.  
            "Glad ta see yer okay."  
            The pain burst.  "I'm **okay**?"  
            "Well, alive…"  
            Sonic had expected Caero to hastily apologize, but instead he got this.  It felt cold, abrasive, heartless.  "Shut up!"  
            "What? I thought ya were dead… I mean—"  
            Sonic held back another angry yell, resisted the urge to curse and make all of this Caero's fault; he said nothing.  
            "Is everyone else okay?"  
            "They're alive," Sonic said irritatedly.  
            "Where ya going?"  
            "To let my uncle know I'm alive."  
            "Can I join ya?"  
            Sonic sighed.  "I don't care."  He brushed past Caero and continued walking.  
            Caero hurried to catch up.  Sonic spoke as he stared ahead.  "Where were you?"  
            "Um… oh, I was back at my clan."  
            Sonic didn't reply; the rest of the trip was mostly in silence.  


* * *

  
            "Unc? Ya here?"  "Uncle Chuck?"  "Hey, are ya here?"  
            Sonic heard a clambering sound, and then his uncle came hurriedly up the stairs.  
            "Sonny! You're okay!"  
            "Yeah, I'm alive."  
            "I was so worried when I heard Robotnik found Knothole. Is everyone else—"  
            "Yeah, we're fine. Hiding underground. Sally says we'll build a new Knothole."  
            "But Robotnik already—"  
            "Knows where it is? Yeah. We'll build it somewhere else in the Forest. Well, at least, that's what Sally says."  
            "Not what you say?"  
            Sonic sighed heavily.  "I dunno. I guess… but it seems so impossible. To build it all again."  
            "Keep your head up, Sonny-boy; it's times like these when you need your friends more than ever, and they're alive, Sonny-boy. They're alive. As long as you have them, you can build everything else again."  
            Sonic lowered his head and nodded faintly.  
            After a time of silence, Sonic looked up again.  "I just need to get my mind off of this. I need to go kick Robotnik's butt! Make him pay!"  
            Uncle Chuck frowned.  "Well, I didn't want to tell you yet, since you already have so much else burdening you…"  
            "What?"  
            "Well, Robotnik's security has heightened and his forces are conspicuously busy. It seems he's working on something big."  
            Caero, who had been silent thus far, now spoke.  "He's planning something big. Got his troops focused on building something."  
            There was an awkward pause, and then Sonic turned to eyeball Caero, who stood behind him.  "Wait a sec… how do **you know?"  
            "Um… Well really I don't. Just a rumor. From the clan. Maybe one of them saw a lotta troops, or, uh, overheard something."  
            Sonic glared at Caero.    
            "What, ya don't believe me? My clan gossips all the time. Jeez."  
            Sonic loosened his gaze, and then turned back to his uncle.  "We've got the location of another group of Freedom Fighters. The guys from Tarahassas do, I mean. They're helping us dig our way to the place where we'll rebuild. I told you about Tarahassas, right?"  
            "Yes."  
            "Well, they know of another group, in the south. Do you think that Robotnik's really making something big?"  
            "There's a lot of evidence, Sonny. But now I'm convinced. I overheard Snively addressing the beast about 'the grand tower' and its progress. Plus the heightened security, the multi-part Project UA, the Emerald, the Island, burning Knothole and then recalling all of the troops within a day."  
            "I'll go find those other Freedom Fighters, then."  
            "That's a good idea, Sonic. If you bring one of them to me, I'll try to convince them of my suspicions. If this is as big as it seems, I think it would only be wise that the Freedom Fighters all work together."  
            "Gotcha, Unc."  
            "Good luck, Sonic."  


* * *

  
            "The Tornado was damaged, but it survived. I was able to make the necessary repairs. I of course got rid of the tracking device, and Robotnik already knows where Knothole is if you land back here, but be sure to check anyway, just to be safe."  
            "Good job, Rotor. We'll be back soon, hopefully with some new Freedom Fighters."  
            "I'm 'a come too."  
            "What? Fine, whatever, Caero; I don't care."  


* * *

  
            The south was a bitter cold.  Sonic exhaled and watched the warm breath leave his body, opaque until it dissipated into the frigid air.  The home of the Ilus Freedom Fighters was not far off.  Sonic turned to find nothing.  The snow-capped mountains rose up on both sides of him.  Sonic glanced to the left, but Caero wasn't there.  He turned to the other side; Tails was still there.  "Hey, have you seen Caero?"  
            "You just noticed? He left just after we landed. Said he'd catch up with us soon."  
            Sonic shrugged.  "He told you and not me? Whatever."  
            They kept walking.  
  
            Eventually Caero returned.  
            "What were you doing?"  
            "I—well—I was hungry. Got some berries. Good this time a' year."  
            "Berries?"  
            "Ya'd think they'dn't grow here, but they do. Sorry; should've brought you some. Didn't think of it."  Caero cracked a smile.  
            "Whatever."  
  
            Now ahead the two opposite mountainsides that bordered Sonic left and right collided, as they both turned for the other and met in the middle.  This was where the Ilus Freedom Fighters were.  


* * *

  
            "Anybody here?"  
            Sonic was greeted by a bear, white-furred.  "Who are you?"  
            "Fellow Freedom Fighters. Robotnik is planning something big and we need to band together."  
            "How do you know what Robotnik's doing? Work for him?"  The bear growled.  
            "My uncle does, sort of."  
            The bear misinterpreted, and grabbed Sonic by the throat.  "We don't take too kindly to Robotnik."  
            Tails cried out, "No, no, Uncle Chuck's a spy for us, from inside Robotnik's! He's roboticized but has his mind! Not a bad guy!"  
            The bear loosened his grip on Sonic, and Sonic nodded slightly.  The bear acknowledged this and dropped his arm back to his side.  "Look, we're not suicidal. If what you've got planned for us is for us to go and attack Robotnik, all of us, then I'm gonna have to show ya to the door. We'll take care of Robotnik when he threatens us, but if he leaves us alone, we don't throw our lives away."  
            "You don't understand," said Sonic.  "If Robotnik's got something big under his belt – and that's besides his fat belly – then the whole world might be at stake."  
            "What's this 'might?' What exactly is it that Robotnik's got planned? If you can't answer that, then all of this means nothing."  
            Sonic looked to the ground uneasily.  "I don't know exactly what it is."  
            "Yeah, and you don't know exactly if it even exists. I've heard enough. I could tell you the moon was gonna fall and kill us, and that'd be just as convincing as your little spiel. Sorry."  
            "Robotnik has the Chaos Emerald; he dropped the Floating Island into the sea. He found and burned our home, and Uncle Chuck says the SWATbots are all focused together on building something. Security's heightened. And there's this 'Project UA' that's split into a bunch of parts that's super-classified."  
            "Ah, so he burned your home, eh? Well, look, I'm sorry, but just because Robotnik's hurt you doesn't mean you can bring everybody else into your problem. And it doesn't mean he's going to destroy the world. You're pissed at him so you want to kill him. Fair enough, but you can't let that blind you."  
            "Listen up, you! I'm not here on some kind of personal vendetta. My Uncle Chuck doesn't say stuff for the hell of it. He's concerned. It doesn't matter if I'm right or not; this isn't about being right. It's about having good reason to wonder, 'what if?'"  
            "What if the moon is gonna hit Mobius and we're all gonna die? I might as well get all paranoid and live my life in fear, eh?"  
            "You ****do live your life in fear already. All us do, but not as much as you. You're Freedom Fighters! But you don't care about freeing Mobius; you just care about yourselves. You'll sit here and hide, in fear, until you're threatened. Then you'll kill the threat and go hide in fear again until you're threatened again."  
            "You know what? Maybe we ****are selfish. But it doesn't matter, because we've tried to stop Robotnik, and it should be pretty clear by now that we're not winning this war and we aren't gonna. So what's the use in trying? Just do what you can, and for us, that's protecting ourselves."  
            "You're right. We're not winning this war. But maybe that's because split up we're powerless. One little factions can't stop Robotnik. But together…"  
            "…"  
            "Do you finally see? If we work together, all of us, we can stop Robotnik."  
            The bear didn't answer.  "Why don't you come in? I'll show you to our leader Raiyon[1]."  
            The bear, who was still nameless, turned his back on Sonic and started down a hall.  Sonic turned to exchange glances with Tails, and then they followed the bear; Caero followed them.  
            Raiyon was a mountain lion of middle age, with gray, almost white fur, and the darker fur around his jaw was like a mane.  
            "I overheard," said Raiyon, with a voice that was neither deep nor high, but more deep than high.  
            "And?"  
            "We have tended to promote a policy of isolationism. It keeps us from needless danger."  
            Sonic looked as if to interrupt, but Raiyon sensed this and deliberately continued speaking, drowning out any protest Sonic may have made.  "But, I have been slightly moved by your ambition, despite it being somewhat naïve. We will fight if you can bring together a substantial amount of other Freedom Fighters. If you can make a force large enough to stand against Robotnik, we will join it."  
            "While I appreciate your compromise and won't forget it, we may not have enough time. This isn't just about defeating Robotnik; that comes later. Now we have to stop whatever he is doing. We don't need the world for that. Uncle Chuck said he'd be willing to convince you himself if one of you will come with me. And once we stop whatever Robotnik is doing, then we can unite the world and destroy him."  
            "I suppose there's no harm in hearing your uncle out," said Raiyon.  "Arnost, go."  
            "Me?" the bear exclaimed; he was Arnost.  
            "Yes, you. Don't argue; just go."  
            Arnost sighed heavily, and when he turned back to Sonic his eyes did not look especially pleased with him, but he followed orders and did not argue.  
            Sonic, Caero, Tails, and Arnost retraced the way back to the entry. Once outside, Arnost spoke.  "I don't appreciate you trying to pull us into your war."  
            "You guys should change your name to the Freedom Frightened. How can you be Freedom Fighters if you won't even fight for freedom?"  
            Sonic remembered that Tarahassas, too, had been tentative to help, but chose not to mention it.  
            "We do fight for freedom: ours."  
            "Fine, then change your name to Greedy Fighters. Selfish suits you."  
            "I don't need your snide shit. I'll hear what your uncle has to say, because I've been ordered to. But that doesn't mean I want to give my life to Robotnik, which is what I'd be doing by trying to defeat him."  
            "It's no use arguing with you; you're coming, so I'll just leave it at that for now."  


* * *

  
            The four of them walked back toward the Tornado; the cliffs rose up as colossal walls on either side of them, defining the wide-yet-narrow path.  Suddenly, there was noise.  Sonic's eyes darted around, seeking the source of the sound, but the source quickly revealed itself and Sonic's searching was rendered unnecessary.  There were a good, but not overwhelming, number of SWATbots coming from hiding against the great walls on either side, and they converged ahead of Sonic.  
            "Shit! How'd they find us? There were no SWATbots here before and how could Robotnik think to look for us here, of all places?"  
            "I told you, bastard!" Arnost yelled.  "This is what happens when you fight Robotnik! Thanks a lot!"  
            Suddenly, a rabid accusation, in confusion, came to the forefront of Sonic's mind as he turned and shouted vindictively.  "Caero! What did you say you were doing?"  
            Caero did not expect this wild accusation, so his response was a stutter.  "I – I was picking berries, eating."  
            Caero's hesitation fueled Sonic's fire.  "Liar! There's no other way Robotnik could find us in such a coincidence but from inside. And you were gone at too opportune a time for it to just be coincidence!"  
            The SWATbots started advancing.  
            Caero's glare turned from surprise to cold.  He then, out of nowhere, started laughing.  "I guess I didn't do too good a job, huh?"  Suddenly, what had seemed like a wild accusation at someone who was friend, not foe, became twisted.  
            Tails uttered, "You… you…"  
            "Why?!" Sonic yelled.  
            "When I saw Knothole in flames… I saw what happens to people if they defy Robotnik.  I learned then that you're on one side or the other, and that only Robotnik's side's got the power to win. I wanted a future fer my clan, what's left'a my family. And if I continued to defy Robotnik, he'd destroy that future. I'm… sorry, Sonic."  
            Sonic yelled, but Tails' cry interrupted his rage.  "Sonic, the SWATbots!"  
            Sonic turned to find the SWATbots almost upon him, and quickly plowed his curled, spiny body through them, tearing them apart.  But there were many, and Sonic could not fell them all at once.  But Arnost, too, had overcome his refusal to fight Robotnik and was knocking SWATbots to the ground with his big arms, a white winter upon the silver metal that breached the greater white of this place.  And when they were all felled, they turned to Caero.  But Caero raised a gun.  "I don't wanna kill ya, Sonic. Just go. But remember, next time we meet, we'll be enemies. But as a friend, lemme give some advice. Don't take it lightly: join Robotnik. His side'll win the war. The only way to a future's through him."  
            Sonic stepped forward.  
            "Don't; I swear I'll shoot. Get away; run; I'm letting you go!"  
            Sonic understood, but before he turned back toward the Tornado, before his backed faced Caero, he uttered, "Mobius has no future with Robotnik."  
            Caero didn't give Sonic the last word.  "But I do. And you do. Mobius may suffer, but at least we will live."  
            Sonic frowned; disappointment was evident in his eyes.  "The whole world is selfish now. Maybe Robotnik's already won, then; he's made us selfish. The world is selfish."  
            "We were always selfish."  
            "I know… but that's a truth I don't want to believe."  
            Sonic turned then, and left Caero staring at his back, gun raised, arm shaking.  
  
            "What about Ilus?" Arnost was shaking Sonic by the shoulders and his voice was not restrained.  "The bastard was ****in there! He knows where it is! I have to go back and save it! He'll tell Robotnik and Robotnik'll destroy it!"  
            "He's waiting there; he'll kill you. Don't you understand? Robotnik will destroy the ****world if we don't unite. And Ilus can take care of itself while we're gone. Robotnik has more important things to do than go attack it right away. It'll be there when we get back, and then we can defend it."  
            "You don't know it'll be there when we get back. You don't care, either, 'cause if it ain't, then we'll feel the pain you felt, and it'll feel good inside to you, to not be alone in it."  
            "Robotnik already took our homes long ago! We all already feel pain! I don't care about making you feel sorry for me! I don't want to be pitied!"  
            Arnost frowned, and then walked in silence back to the Tornado.   


* * *

  
            His arm shook like a chronic shiver, a chronic fear, and his arm was still outstretched ever once they disappeared into the fog horizon.  Slowly, his arm lowered.  
            "I… am… a monster."  
            He started, and his fingers let go of the gun.  He stumbled to retrieve it, and then exploded, seizing and pulling the trigger, barrel-to-the-sky.  
            "Traitor! What does it matter if you live? We all die! And now I'll die a coward. I'm just Robotnik's tool. He doesn't care. He doesn't care about giving me a life, a future. All he wants is the death of Mobius and I'll give it to him just so I can live alone in his dead world. I'm just his tool, a disgrace!"  He unleashed a torrent of shots at the silently screaming sky.  
            He choked back a tear.  "But it's too late to turn back now."  


* * *

  
            "So he was with Robotnik all along… that devil."  
            "No, not all along. He said he defected after seeing Knothole burning; and he'd have no reason to lie about that now."  
            "So those times he helped us were real?" asked Tails.  
            Sonic sighed.  "Yeah."  
            "Does he know about Knothole underground?" asked Uncle Chuck.  
            Sonic contemplated.  "He knows about Knothole, the old one, but not underground, I don't think."  
            "But he knows about Ilus! I can see you don't give a shit though."  
            "We'll be back there before Robotnik, I hope. Unc, spill it for 'im."  
            Uncle Chuck let flow the evidence.  Of how the fall of the Island and the fall of Knothole coincided with the birthing and differentiation of the high-clearance "Project UA."  Of how the SWATbots were busied, concentrated, needed, never free from duty.  Of the abnormally high security.  Of the "grand tower;" of the new general; of the echidna; of the constructions.  
            "While all of this is rather suspicious, it doesn't mean Robotnik is planning to destroy the world."  
            "But do you want to take that chance?"  


* * *

  
            "I can't wait any longer. I shouldn't have even waited this long. I'm a fool! I need to know if my friends are alive."  
            "How will you find them? I'm sure they're hiding from Robotnik."  
            "Let's wait until Sonic comes back and go from there."  
            "I've had enough waiting!"  
            "What good would it do to go looking? You won't find them alone."  
            "You lied to me; you said that we'd look for them. You lied. You have no intention of helping me."  
            "We'll look, but it's no use until we have more people."  
            "We have enough people! But all you care about is digging a new home. Well, what about my home? What about me and mine?"  
            "Can we at least wait until Sonic comes back?"  
            "Fuck Sonic."  
            "He's trying to bring Freedom Fighters from Ilus. And then we can find your friends."  
            "They're probably already dead. And who says the new fighters will want to help me any more than you do? Who says they'll want to help my find my friends? Why should I wait for them?"  
            "Actually, we may be able to look now."  
            Everybody turned to find Rotor the speaker.  
            "I have this heat radar. It's not very good, because I never finished it, but it's worth a shot."  
            "Alright, Rotor," said Sally, "I guess it's worth a try. I'll stay here and wait for Sonic. You and Bunnie take Knuckles to the Floating Island."  


* * *

  
            "Alright, we'll join you."  
            The room was unsettled and clamored as the verdict was declared.  
            "Thank you."  
            Who was this stranger in their homes who sought to force them into a war they didn't want to be in?  An insurgent shout from the crowd, a body rising from its seat: "Who do you think you are?"  
            "Silence! He speaks with me! Any dissent against him is an attack against me and my decision."  
            The protestor sat, mute.  It was not as easy to stand against Raiyon as it was an outsider.  
            "I, too, did not want to enter this war. You know I have always preached isolationism. But if all the evidence I have been given really does equate to something to be feared, then should we stand here, we would be brought into the war anyway, with death, and not under our own volition."  
            There were murmurs, some of approval, some of understanding, and some of quiet scorn.  
            "And if this is a false alarm, we can return home and live as we always have. But I don't think it wise to place so much on the hope that this is only routine Robotnik happenings, when in the presence of such ominous ambiance. If the Princess' rebellion can put us to use in subduing the potential threat, then we should take this chance to ensure that we are not caught by it in such a way that we can no longer lash back."  


* * *

  
            When they reached the Floating Island, Rotor had to lug his large radar box, making movement slower than usual.  
            "This was the side of the island you guys were on, right?"  
            "Mainly."  
            "I'll set up my heat radar device a couple miles inland."  
  
            It took a while, but finally Rotor said "Okay, stop," and began setting up his radar box.  It had never been completed, so not only was it not as effective as Rotor would have liked, but it also wasn't quite as functional.  It wouldn't work on the first try, and Rotor had to open it up and make some changes; it engaged on the next try.  A radar disc on the front top of the box started spinning, and several minutes later stopped.  A crude LCD display lit up on the top-center of the box.  There were several scattered heat signatures in the northern section of the display.  A small blotch of heat signals could be seen directly in the center; Rotor knew that was themselves.  In the far northwest corner was another heat signature.  Rotor scanned over the cryptic annotations that accompanied the colors of heat.  
            "There must still be SWATbots on the island. I think all of those in the north are SWATbots. I'm not sure, though. All of the individually-separated ones up there all carry very similar signatures. The ones up there," he pointed to the far northwest corner of the screen, "are different."  
            "How far away is that?"  
            "I have no idea. I never got around to testing how large this thing's range is. But I don't think I got it to see very far before I stopped working on it."  
            "Well, let's start headin' thattaway."  Bunnie pointed in the direction that was northwest on the box's display.  
            Rotor lugged the heavy box behind him.  
  
            When they had gone some ways, Rotor told everyone to stop again and they waited several minutes for the radar box to scan for heat signatures again.  
            Now, the results were slightly different.  The signatures that Rotor recognized as what was probably the same bodies that had been in the far northwest last time were still northwest of them, and it seemed they were now at the midpoint of the radar catchment's radius.  The scattered figures that Rotor had suspected to be SWATbots were now much closer than before, to the east, a bit north.  But what was most striking about the readout was that the scattered bodies to the east now seemed to be orbited by single bodies, in five directions.  There were the scattered bodies at the nucleus of the mass, and then at five points around the disfigured, chaotic nucleus' warped and shaky circumference, there were what appeared to be single bodies at a fair distance from the center.  
            And then Rotor realized what this meant.  If these were SWATbots as he has supposed, and now he was more certain of this inference, then these outliers were probably scouts, patrols.  Robotnik had pulled a great deal of his forces from the island, but not all of them, and it appeared he still scouted the area just to keep informed on it, to keep his control and power over it, so he could see all.  
            And now Rotor glared at the screen again.  If he drew a line between the chaotic congregation of SWATbots and the single outlier body that was closest to him at the center of the radar catchment… it appeared to be heading his way.  It wasn't a perfect course, but from what he had inferred based on how much distance they had shaved between them and the northwest heat signals for how much time roughly they had taken to get there, the margin by which the patrolling SWATbot would miss him if it kept its current course was probably not enough for it to not see him.  
            And now he wondered how much closer it was to him now in all the time that had passed since the radar had run its scan.  It was not very far from him on the screen, and it was closer now.  Rotor shut off the device quickly.  
            "Move!"  
            "What's up, sugah Rote?"  
            "I think a SWATbot patrol is on target to come within viewing range of us. We need to try to get away before it gets here! Move!"  
            Rotor lugged the radar box, and he was clearly trying to hurry, trying to run, and moving much faster than he had before, but the big box still slowed him down and he couldn't really _run with it, just try.  
            They had gotten a fair, but not great, distance when they were seen.  They heard, in the distance, a metal clanking toward them.  It was the SWATbot, as Rotor had thought.  
            "Move!"  
            A weak laser beam went over their shoulder, with poor accuracy from the distance the SWATbot held from them.  But as Bunnie looked over her shoulder, the SWATbot had emerged from the fog of vision and was now clearly visible off in the distance.  It was closing distance.  They ran.  But the clanking got closer and closer.  Bunnie looked over her shoulder and it wouldn't be long before it wouldn't be feasible to run anymore.  
            "Rotor! Drop the box!"  
            "Wha—what? No way!"  
            Another laser beam, now with greater accuracy, flew past Knuckles' side.  
            "Turn an' fight or drop it an' run!"  
            The SWATbot was behind them now, though, and they couldn't run anymore.  It would hit them at point blank if they tried.  So Rotor released his grip on the big box and it leapt a few inches off the ground as he did, before thudding heavily to the ground.  Rotor was not very fast naturally, but now, running, he could at least hold his distance against the SWATbot while his endurance lasted.  The dropped box caused a distraction, however, which stalled the SWATbot and allowed the three to gain a good margin against the SWATbot, as they continued running.  Eventually, it must have given up, as they turned around and saw it wasn't there.  Rotor was breathing heavily at this point, out of breath, and when he turned and saw their pursuer was no longer there, he stopped and rested his hands on his thighs.  
            "How far are we now?"  This voice was Knuckles.  
            "Can ya just give me a second here?"  Rotor was trying to catch his breath.  
            Knuckles rolled his eyes.  
            "Jus' hold on a sec, ya raring 'kidna!" Bunnie smiled; her poking was clearly meant in jest.  
            "Alright, now," said Rotor, still short on breath, but rising, probably to gratify the tired Knuckles… tired of waiting, and tired of not knowing.  "We ran more west than north so if we head north we should get there. I think we got enough—"  Rotor paused to catch a deep breath.  "—enough lateral distance."  
            Knuckles nodded solemnly and they started walking north.  


* * *

  
            "I'll have to talk with Sally and Chuck first, but we'll send word when we're prepared to strike. Probably soon. Pick you up in the Tornado XL… assuming it works."  
            "Why do we have to be 'picked up'? So you can take us to _your_ home? 'Cause you're better than us?"  
            Sonic laughed.  "Man, you guys are uptight and full of hostility. No, we'll gather in the Great Forest because it's _****by Robotropolis.  Makes sense, huh?"  Sonic crossed his arms.  There were no retorts from the crowd.  
            "And thank you for your support. Well… your reluctant agreeing to go along because your leader said so… but still… and thanks, Raiyon. This ain't about whether my Uncle Chuck is right or not about what all these weird things mean. It's about the fact that if he is right, the consequences of not fighting are far more than the consequences of mistaking Robotnik's doings or whatever else. I'll see ya soon."  Sonic nodded, to the crowd or to nobody, and smiled before walking down the carpet and out the door, Tails quickly running to follow behind him.  
            Once Sonic was out of earshot, Raiyon spoke.  "I know that we could make up some nonsense and use it to convince people of lies, the world ending, our destruction if we didn't do something about it. There's stories about stuff like that. And nothing short of Robotnik coming to our door and saying, 'I'm going to unleash the ultimate hell tomorrow; just thought I'd let you know so you can try and stop me' would be completely convincing of the fact that there's immense danger and we need to stop it or be enslaved forever – and even Robotnik saying that could be a lie, so there's nothing that can totally validate our tomorrows as being so crucial that there's no choice but to defend them. Nothing can do that. But if we just accepted that, and told ourselves that since we can never be truly sure that a warning is true, we should never heed them because then we'd risk it being a false alarm and needlessly having acted on it, then we'd be caught in the undertow of slavery once it does come. And Robotnik isn't just going to sit there and let our little rebellions survive, not if he can help it. So he will try to destroy us even if we don't try to destroy him, because we're a threat. And someday maybe we'll realize – maybe **I'll** realize, because even I cannot bring myself to truly fight for freedom and do what is right – that the only way to better our lives is to fight the oppression.  
            "But in the meantime, we at least need to realize that while the hedgehog and his uncle certainly could be making up garbage just to try and bend us, twist us, make us do their bidding. But why? They are us. They are Freedom Fighters; their enemy and our enemy is the same. They have no need, no reason to lie. What they say is true, and their fear and concern for what it means is real. And if you think about the state of the world now, maybe you can realize that we have reason for concern too if we have reason to believe that Robotnik is building up to gain even more power than he already has. The hedgehog and his gang haven't ever before come to us for help. They've always fought it out alone, took care of themselves, and probably – judging by the hedgehog's attitude – even taken the offensive on Robotnik without us. So when they come here and tell us that they fear Robotnik is doing something bigger than he's ever done before, you have to wonder how big it is and what it can do, and then fear it.  
            "Maybe we should be like them, taking the offensive. But I don't want to think about that right now. So let's join them just until we find out how big this thing is, or if it's even big at all. And I want you to cooperate with them until that task is done, and once we have destroyed whatever huge threat there may be, we can rest again and stop fighting. Okay?"  


* * *

  
            "Is anybody here?"  
            Of course they wouldn't answer.  How foolish could they be?  
            "Hello?"  
            Waste of breath.  If they were to fall for this, they'd fall for him, and then they might as well have never hid.  
            "It's—"  
            "—Hey, this is Knuckles! Y'all there?"  
            Now they were getting somewhere.  Knuckles' voice.  
            Too bad.  
            Somewhere around here.  
            But they couldn't confirm or validate.  Not without the box.  
            Knuckles scampered ahead.  There was a black-lined cave.  He stepped inside, gyrating his head upon his neck to look around, as well as he could in the dark antilight.  He stepped deeper into the cave, and when he reached the back, he had found nothing.  He sighed, and turned to go back when his eye was caught by something.  At the back of the cave, there was very little light to illuminate the shape of the cave, but it appeared that to his right, the wall of darkness was hollowed.  He stepped forward, hand outstretched, to test his speculation, and when his hand moved through the invisible wall, he knew he had been right.  The walls, without light, looked black, and blended in with the empty darkness.  So this was not a wall, but the walls all looked as black as the hollow.  Knuckles, slowly walking forward, bumped into the cold wall at the end of the hollow.  Everything around him looked nearly the same; it was hard to tell emptiness from occupied space.  He stopped to rub his nose, which had met the unexpected end of the black cavity.  And in his silence, he heard breathing, ever so quiet.  And now, in this place, around the corner from the light at the cave's end, where he could only barely see his hands in front of him, he gathered reservations.  Was the breathing his friend's, or something else?  At this point, Bunnie had followed him into the cave.  
            "Knuckles?"  
            The breathing's regular pattern jostled, and suddenly Knuckles realized that the voice, speaking his name, breaking the silence, had almost certainly roused their company in the darkness.  And his thought was confirmed when he felt something upon him, and was knocked to the ground.  Bunnie gasped as she felt Knuckles' body felled to her feet.  Rotor came now into the cave but stopped advancing once he found Bunnie in the darkness.  It was not pitch black, but Knuckles could still not make out who it was in front of him.  He could not even tell for sure if he was staring into their eyes or the back or side of their head.  
            "Who are you?"  
            Knuckles felt a tight grip around his wrist, but heard no words.  
            Knuckles' assailant couldn't be seen.  Knuckles didn't know who it was; it could be one of his friends and he couldn't even know.  It could be an enemy.  
            "I'm here to save you."  
            No response, no loosened grip.  
            Knuckles pulled free his other arm that was not in the assailant's grip, and reached out, to touch their face and find the texture and see if he could recognize it.  As his hand ran along the shadow-shrouded face, he felt a sharp pain in his fingers and palm, and realized he had been bitten.  Knuckles cried in pain, and pried his feet, legs and knees well-bent, against the invisible assailant, and then, in one quick movement, pushed out his legs like a spring uncoiled and felt the presence thrust away from him.  He heard a thud, followed by tense silence.  
            "Who are you?" Knuckles asked again.  
            There was no answer.  It seemed adamantly stubborn, refusing to talk.  But perhaps it couldn't now.  
            And then suddenly Knuckles felt a sting in the back of his neck.  
            "Charmy!"  It wasn't until after this cry had passed his lips that he even realized the thought behind it.  And this subconscious belief turned the thought, once it hit him, into a conviction.  So he continued with the motive: "It's Knuckles!"  
            Silence was broken.  "Knuckles?"  And it was Charmy's distinctive voice.  
            Knuckles heaved a sigh of relief, but it was quickly dissipated.  "Then who was it that attacked me?"  
            "Espio."  
            "Espio?"  Knuckles was calling him.  
            But there was no response.  
            "Espi—"  
            "You hurt him bad. Might have knocked him out when he hit the wall. Can't see."  
            "Damn, got to get him outta here."  
            Knuckles stepped forward, but couldn't see anything but darkness.  He moved slowly forward; one foot, now the other, now the first, arms outstretched.  And then he felt the cold wall at his fingers.  He reached down, and with his hands found Espio where he had fallen from the wall.  He slid his arms under Espio's invisible-through-darkness body and then lifted him.  "Let's get out of here, now."  


* * *

  
            "Ilus has agreed to cooperate with us against whatever big thing Robotnik is supposedly doing. Whenever you're ready to attack, we can pick 'em up."  Sonic paused, and then turned to speak to Rotor, and ask, "Can you can the XL working?" but Rotor wasn't there.  "Where's Rotor?"  
            "He went with Knuckles and Bunnie to the Floating Island."  
            "What's he doing there?"  
            "Trying to find Knuckles' friends on radar."  
            "I hope he can fix the XL, so we can pick up Ilus."  
            "I don't even know if it's broken."  
            "Well, the original was…" Sonic trailed off, and then abruptly loosened his pupils, calling in another train, "Tails?"  
            "Yeah, Sonic?"  
            "Go check to see if the XL works."  
            "Aye-aye."  Tails scurried off.  
            "I'm assuming the Tarahassas guys will work with us, too, right? Have you told them all the stuff we know? And asked if they think the rest of Tarahassas would cooperate too?"  
            "They've been kept informed. I haven't asked them if they're willing to cooperate, but I think it's inferred that we want them to, and they haven't made any dissenting remarks yet…"  
            "I'll go ask them, then."  
  
            "Hey."  
            "Hm."  
            "Ilus said they'd fight with us. Took a lot of talking to, but they did."  
            "Hm."  
            "Well, what about you? Didn't—"  
            "I thought we were here to dig."  
            "Well… you were, and you are… but Knothole can wait if Robotnik's got something as big as Unc thinks."  
            There was a soft sigh, and then a pause, before Rand spoke.  "Yes, I'll fight."  
            "And—"  
            "I'll fight, too, Sonic," said Ruben.  "If you put this before Knothole, and you don't even have your home…"  
            "Will you fight too?"  
            Kaire, the beaver, just nodded, his back still to Sonic.  
            "Will Tarahassas fight?"  
            "What do you mean? Didn't we just—"  
            "I mean, will all of Tarahassas fight? Will we have another army?"  
            "An army? If we're what you call an army…"  
            "Fine, not an army. A militia."  
            "A small militia."  
            "But do you think the rest of them would fight too?"  
            "I don't know. I think a lot of them would, but I don't know."  
            "I'm sure they can't be as stubborn as Ilus."  
            "I wouldn't know. Never tried to make them fight. But I know they don't like fighting if they don't have to."  
            "Will one of you come with me and help me talk to the others? In Tarahassas."  
            "I really don't want to convince them…"  
            "I'll talk. They don't even know yet that this isn't for Knothole, but for who-knows-how-much, remember? Last I was there, I was bringing you guys here to help us after Knothole was destroyed. Weird things were going on but Unc didn't put them all together yet, or at least he didn't say so to us. So we did bring you here, not really just to dig, but we didn't know what for. So digging had to do. Now we have a new reason for help. I'll tell them. And if they won't listen, just at least tell them that you're fighting. That might help."  
            "Okay, but I'm not going to ask them to do anything," said Ruben.  
            "Fine. Let's go."  


* * *

  
            Knuckles carried the unconscious Espio in his arms.  Rotor and Bunnie tagged behind him, and Charmy hovered over his shoulder, unbobbing.  
            The clouds hovered above them as they made the obshort trip back to the edge of the Island.  Espio lay breathing in Knuckles arms as they walked, his eyes closed.  
            "Hey, look, y'all!"  
            They looked.  
            "It's… it's my heat radar! It's still there!"  
            It was well off in the distance, and only its outline could be made out.  Rotor hastened his step now, but did not run, and they proceeded forward.  
  
            When they reached it, Rotor inspected it meticulously.  "It doesn't look like they even damaged it. It probably still works."  He looked up at Bunnie.  No sooner, Rotor felt a wave of heat beside him, and in the same moment heard it.  He instinctively jerked away from the sound and the sudden feeling.  It was too late.  Rotor's reaction was nothing more than instinct; he did not have any reason for his started movement, so he was unable to augment it; the one step was all he gave before the heat swelled a hundredfold and seared his skin which faced it, and Rotor was knocked backward, trying to cover his eyes and face with his arms, and then was heaved several feet back onto the ground.  The heat radar was reduced to its framework, smoking and burning.  Bunnie and Knuckles had kept their distance, and looked up to see a SWATbot with its arm raised, pointed at the scorched husk of the box.  
            "Goddamnit," cried Knuckles.  He knelt down and laid Espio at his feet.  "I'll be back, Espy. Just sit tight."  Knuckles rose to his feet, hovering above Espio for a split second before leaping at the air between him and the SWATbot.  Now there were five; they had come out of the woodwork.  
            "Ah'm coming atcha!" Bunnie had armed her pulse cannon and raised it to the level of the SWATbots.  She fired, blowing a hole through one's chest.  In perhaps a single blink of sentiency, the SWATbot seemed to look down at its mortal wound, and maybe feel it.  And then it died.  It had only lived for those few moments.  Knuckles, gliding, in the air, fists first, plowed into another, and it was thrown back.  Knuckles touched down and swung his fist at another.  And then from behind him a fourth gripped his other wrist— the one he wasn't swinging at the third.  Knuckles kicked his left foot backward; the bot fell, but held its grip on Knuckles' wrist and he fell with it.  Bunnie's cannon was recharged, and Knuckles felt the airstream of the pulse as his captor was robbed of its other arm.  Knuckles writhed free of its one remaining arm and then crushed the bot beneath him.  The fifth was behind him, and he swung around, fists flailing, sending it sprawling to the ground fast, at an angle to the left, and jerking it taut against its leash of inertia when it hit the ground.  
            The battle was over, but the enemy had done its damage.  
            Quickly, Bunnie rushed to Rotor.  "You alright, sugah?"  
            "Uhhhnn… not… quite…"  
            "Mah stars, we've gotta get chu outta here!"  
            Rotor the walrus was heavy; who could carry him all the way back to once-Knothole?  
            She could.  
            She brought her mechanical arm, endowed with great strength from the roboticization process, beneath him, and lifted him, holding him against her chest, between her body and her one strong arm.  
            Knuckles was back at Espio and glanced over at Bunnie.  Seeing Rotor in her tow, he quickly did likewise and lifted Espio.  
            "Jeez," was all Charmy could muster, and then they all walked solemnly toward the edge of the island.  


* * *

  
            "I'm sorry for coming again, but we have something that's potentially a lot more urgent."  
            "More urgent than Knothole being destroyed?"  
            "Well, it's just a suspicion, but one my uncle is convinced of. He's our spy in Robotropolis."  
            "Hm."  
            "He thinks Robotnik is planning something big. He doesn't know what it is, but it's probably the thing that came up that was called Project UA. It's classified so he couldn't open the files on it, but he's got all his SWATbots working overtime and he's got the Emerald and after he got the emerald, part 1 of UA was checked off his schedule and there were more parts. It's impossible to know for sure, but he thinks it's convincing enough for us to act on it. Oh, and he overheard someone say something about 'the grand tower' too."  
            "And what are you asking of us?"  
            "Well, I guess I'm asking you to fight… but do I need to ask? It's not a fight for Knothole. It's a fight against Robotnik. You and I are both just as much part of that fight."  
            "And what if this is nothing?"  
            "Then it's nothing. How about this, Han?: What if this is something?"  
            "…Then it's something."  
            "And we die?"  
            "You think that by going into battle, we aren't risking that?"  
            "Look, I'm not all into that math jumbo, or that statistics gibberish, but I think we'd have a better chance of surviving by fighting Robotnik than just sitting and hoping he isn't making the power to kill us all."  
            "Your uncle… what was his name again?"  
            "Chuck."  
            "Chuck…"  
            "Well, Charles is his real name, but we mostly just call him Chuck."  
            "Was your uncle King Acorn's Minister of Science?"  
            "I was never much one for titles, but he did work for the King. Why all these questions about Unc?"  
            "I'll trust his judgment. I'll fight."  
            "Way to jump around a conversation! But I'm glad you're with us. I take it you're speaking for the rest of the guys, too?"  
            "Yes, Tarahassas will fight."  
            "Awesome. Ilus is on board, too. I'll tell Sal and we'll let you know when it's time to strike."  He turned to Ruben.  "See, you didn't even have to say a word."  
            Ruben grinned shyly.  
            "I take it you had already pledged to fight?"  
            "Yes…"  
            "Are you staying here?"  
            Ruben looked up at Sonic.  "Still want me to dig until the battle?"  
            Sonic thought for a second, and then replied, "Your choice. Of course I'd need your help after the battle, if you'll give it, but it can wait 'til then if you wanna rest. I said that this wasn't about Knothole, that this is more important, and I guess I meant it."  
            Ruben laughed as Sonic said, "_I guess."  Then he stated, "I'll help, then."  


* * *

  
            Getting Espio down the hole wasn't a problem.  He was unconscious and bruised, but there weren't any obvious injuries that jostling would be hazard.  Rotor, on the other hand, was more of a challenge.  He was burned, awake, and in pain, and neither Knuckles nor Bunnie was a doctor, so they had no idea if Rotor had any major injuries beyond the burn, and the burn by itself was very delicate.  Knuckles found Sally and she quickly got the Doctor, who lowered Rotor in a stretcher through the stump.  
            "This is a bad burn, second-degree in parts, but luckily it's not deep, just superficial. He'll heal in time and there shouldn't be any scars if I do my job right."  
            "It wasn't prolonged, the burn; just an explosion."  
            "And we're lucky for that. A lot of it is just first-degree, but his hands and arms and scattered parts of the front side of his body are second-degree. His face is burned pretty bad too, but it's still just first-degree; looks like he tried to cover his face."  
            "What about Espio?"  
            "Esp—"  
            "The chameleon."  
            "Oh, haven't looked at him yet."  
            "Could you plea—"  
            "I have to treat this burn first. If it goes untreated, it could get much worse."  


* * *

  
            "Sal? I'm back! Good news!"  
            Sonic dropped through the tree-stump but didn't see Sally.  He hustled down the hall and found Sally there.  "Hey, Sal! Good news!"  
            She didn't turn; her back still faced him.  "Sal!"  He came up behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder.  "What's up, Sal? Tarahassas said they'd help."  
            She whispered.  "Rotor…"  
            Sonic's hand left her shoulder and he brushed past her, to see Rotor on a white sheet that covered an unpainted wooden bed.  
            Rotor turned his head weakly.  "Sonic…"  
            "Shh, don't talk yet. Your lips are burnt; they need to heal."  
            "What happened?"  
            "Explosion. A lot of first-degree burns and some second-degree burns, mostly on his arms. The burns on his arms could have been much worse, but luckily they weren't. He'll be okay; it'll take at least a week to heal, though."  
            "A week? But Robotnik!"  
            "…a…don't…fight…anyway…"  
            "Shh…"  
            "Don't fight? Don't fight?"  
            "…no…__I…don't…fi—"  
            "I said quiet! You'll aggravate the burns!"  
            "Without you…"  Sonic nodded.  "Okay. For now."  
            Sonic turned.  "Tails!"  He walked out the door and called Tails' name again.  
            Tails came.  
            "So how was the XL?"  
            "…it was fine, I think, but I didn't try to fire it up. The metal frame we used protected it, though it melted a bit, it rehardened. But why?"  
            "We've got a battle to fight."  
            "Now?"  
            "Well, no. But yes. Rotor said not to wait for him. As soon as Sally says…"  Sonic cut himself off midsentence and brushed past Tails, finding Sally again.  
            "Ilus and Tarahassas are ready. Tails said the XL was ready. Should we give them the signal tomorrow and gather that night? The next morning?"  
            "What? Can't we hold off a bit?"  
            "Rotor will be fine. He's not dying, you know. And he said to fight without him."  
            Sally sighed.  "And he's right. We should. He'll be safe here anyway… well… if he's not, we've lost anyway. But I don't want to discuss it until tomorrow, okay?"  
            "Okay, Sal."  
            It wasn't night yet, only the evening; the sun was setting, but it had not yet set; he found some place to sleep and slept.  


* * *

  
            "Espy!"  
            It was dark outside now, though they couldn't see the proof.  Espio had suddenly blinked his eyes open.  Knuckles had been sitting there for an hour now.  The doctor had told him that Espio was bruised, but luckily he hadn't gotten a concussion and would wake up of his own accord.  He should still rest for a while, though.  
            Out of nowhere, Knuckles laughed.  When his laughter subsided to words, they formed, "that was me, y'know? In the cave, that was me you were attackin'."  
            Espio looked dumbfounded.  "What?"  
            "The cave."  
            "Oh, wait… oh… that was… …oh…"  
            And that was that.  
            "Good night, Espy. I'll see ya in the morning."  
            Knuckles stood up and left the room to find a corner to sleep in.  


* * *

  
            "Is the Anselan core online?"  
            "It will awaken in twenty-eight hours, sir."  
            "As planned, then."  


* * *

  
            He had slept, ironically, for once.  And when he woke, for once he oddly felt refreshed.  Until he realized where he was, that is.  
  
            "We are prepared, in light of recent events, to stage a United attack on the Robotropolis core and the speculated site of the Grand Tower. We have Ilus and Tarahassas in line, ready to fight. We will send them word by pigeon late tonight and then gather the day following tomorrow for the operation. But what I am addressing you for today concerns you.  
            "I ask for you all – all of you who are able – to rise up and fight with us."  
            "You know I will!"  
            Laine.  
            A smile fluttered across Sally's lips but it was gone quickly as she was trying to move the crowd.  "So who else is with me?!" she boomed sonorously.  "Who else will rise and fight for the preservation of once-and-future Knothole, of the Freedom Fighters and the end of Robotnik's tyranny?!"  
            Several members of the crowd rose, and then their peers followed them, and then their peers, and there were at least twenty standing.  


* * *

  
            The leaf, scribed, was placed, as her hand rose carefully and calmly, in the pigeon's claws, and they closed to clutch it.  "Go now!"  It went, wings fluttering, exuding a soft quivering flurry of a sound and of an image.  
            "We'll pick them up tomorrow night. They'll have some 20 hours to prepare."  
            "We should use the time wisely, too."  
            "Sonic, can you try to train ours?"  
            "Hah, you know I'm no good at that. I can't teach for anyone who's so _slow_."  
            "We'd have Antoine—"  
            Sonic laughed.  "Ant?! Train?"  
            "As I was saying," said Sally irritatedly.  She repeated, "We'd have Antoine train them some but we don't have any blades worth using, and that's all he knows. We just need to teach basic sparring, melee, to those who need it."  
            "Melee? Well, I'm no expert, but at least I have some experience."  Laine stepped forward.  
            "That's fine. We just need you to give them _something_ to start from. I'm sure at least some of them only stood because they __did know something, but I'm sure my convincing probably got some of them to stand without really being prepared to fight. So just teach those ones what you can. You don't have to be skilled."  
            "Then I'll show 'em what I can…which ain't much."  


* * *

  
            The twenty-one volunteers were lined in an open chamber, earthy and soil-walled.  Laine, now accompanied by another, a red fox who had volunteered to help train, having been practiced in combat as a child.  In the back of the hollowed, dusty chamber, where the dirt soaked into your fingers and lingered on them when you touched the walls, red Knuckles leaned against the wall in silence, perhaps observing, feeling the dirt on his back.  
            "Duck under his blows and push your weight up under him."  
            They ducked in unison, beneath their opponents.  
            "Good."  The red fox paced.  "Now, if you're advancing on your enemy, turn like this to shield your body and reduce the size of your enemy's target."  
            They turned.  
            "Get behind your enemy if you can."  
            "And if you lack strength," said Laine, "use your momentum to knock the enemy down."  
            "Ah, so just barge into them?" replied the red fox unexpectedly.  "I never thought of that."  
            "And if you turn the way you demonstrated, you can probably concentrate your force more. It would probably be more effective if you charged at them while turned like that, hitting them with your shoulder-side."  Laine turned back to the volunteers that faced him.  "But if you're using your momentum, just remember to not hesitate when you make impact with the enemy. The whole point is to be moving as fast as you can and hitting them without slowing down. Don't waver."  
            "If they're upon you, get them by the throat, or get them in a grip if you know how."  
            "That doesn't work too well against SWATbots; unless you're real strong, I guess. I don't think you can choke a SWATbot. So if they're upon you, use your team. They're your best tool."  
            "Swing, strike like this."  
            He swung, and they tried to mimic him.  
            There was a grunt from the back of the room.  "Like that?!"  
            "Would like you to see again?"  
            "No, that's not a question. That's too slow. Too predictable."  
            Knuckles shifted his weight to come back to his feet and slide away from the wall.  He brushed some of the dirt off his back, but his back was still dirtied as some of it still clung to his skin where it had met him.  He stepped up beside the red fox.  "Try it more like this."  He jutted his fist impulsively and quickly, in a tight curving arc; it was with fluidity, unthinking; the path and the way just came naturally.  
            Laine tried to emulate Knuckles' demonstration, but either failed in moving as fast or failed in moving as fluidly with such technique.  "Sorry," he said.  "I told 'em I didn't know much. I've never trained. I can't go that fast and still have any sense of control or dexterity."  
            Knuckles frowned, and then shrugged.  "Well, I'm no teacher. Never learned how to teach."  He turned his dusty back to them.  "Use your enemy."  Knuckles walked.  "It works; I know."  


* * *

  
            "They're coming."  
            "Who?"  
            "Knothole. They sent word. We and Tarahassas will convene tomorrow night… Or is it today-tonight now? Day, night, night, day, nothing."  
            "I'll alert everybody."  
            "We should be ready for them when they arrive sometime after the next 2100… I don't even know what time it is now."  
            "Time is meaningless. I'll just tell the guys that they're coming at 'our next evening'."  
  
  


* * *

[1] Pronounced like "Ryan"  
_**


	13. Twelve

**12  
**

  
            Ominously grey, it descended in a sober-soft, passive tempest of its own making.  As its gate slipped open, its contents oozed out, and once assorted, didn't look to relish the situation, wearing unhappy faces – not masks.  They didn't want to be here, but here they were.  
            "Our insider at Robotropolis has identified what he believes to be the source of the SWATbot congregation. There are no cameras there – none he could access, anyway – so he couldn't find it the easy way, and largely made inferences from the tracking activity of the SWATbots themselves."  
            "Let's make this clear at the outset: we don't want to be here."  As if their faces weren't enough?  They were crying for sympathy.  
            She cast them a glare, and then continued.  "It's behind Robotropolis from our direction. Knothole will split in two, one under Sonic and one under myself. We will launch a front at and through Robotropolis, past the command center, and ideally reach the target site. We may, in going through Robotropolis, meet resistance from the beast general, or perhaps Caero now that he's defected.  
            "Tarahassas will be deployed, via air, behind Robotropolis, west of the target site. Do you have a commander? If not, I'll install Laine."  
            Simultaneously, Han replied "No," and Laine cried, "What?"  
            "I'm supposed to _command?" he finished.  
            Before Sally could answer his concern, Knuckles spoke from the back of the crowd: "What am I doing?"  
            Sally answered the most recent question first.  "I would have you serve under Laine."  
            "I don't take orders."  
            "What, then?"  
            "I'll just command myself and Espio, then."  
            "So you want to command?"  
            "I don't __want to; I _will_."  
            Espio laughed from beside Knuckles.  "How could anyone trust __you, Knux? You're too crazy; remember?"  
            Laine commented, "I really don't feel ready to command anyone; I can't take that duty 'cause I haven't the first idea of how to command or strategize. But the echidna put my attack to shame when I was training. Rohan can vouch."         The red fox interjected, "yep;" he must have been called Rohan.  Laine continued, "Dunno if he can command, but he can probably fight, and I'm sure he can do better than me."  
            "Alright," sighed Sally.  "Knuckles, you can command Tarahassas."  
            "And Espio comes with me."  
            Sally nodded.  "Ilus, do you have a commander?"  
            "Name's Brant."  He was a well-built coyote with gray fur and a single streak of auburn down his back, then bending and turning beside his left eye.  His voice was assertive and resonated with his tough-guy complex.  
            "Laine, you can work under Brant and Ilus, as second acting commander."  
            "We don't want ya."  
            "Too bad," said Laine, unintimidated, "'cause ya got me."  
            "Ilus, you will skirt the east borders of Robotropolis, behind the insider, and arrive at the target from the east and a bit south."  
            "So what do we do when we get there?"  
            "I don't know. Destroy whatever Robotnik's building."  
            "What if we don't know?"  
            "Then I don't know."  


* * *

  
            The sky shimmied and shimmered, as the sunset danced with the billows of smog.  
            As it descended again – the ominous – and again secreted, he began formulating his nothings.  That's what he did best: nothings.  
            "Alright, I guess we just walk that way."  
            "No, it's that way."  
            "Alright."  
            "Well? I thought you were our commander. Command us."  Espio crossed his arms and smirked.  
            "Fine, march on thattaway."  
            "That way," Tails corrected again.  
            "Er, yeah, _that_ way. That's right; you said… okay, well, let's go."  
            "What are we doing?"  
            "Marching, I said."  
            "No duh. But what kind of vague order is _that_?"  
            Knuckles stood straight and asserted his authority.  "I'll tell you what to do when we _get there_."  
            "You might be buff as a fighter, but you're a sorry excuse for a commander. We could have—"  
            Knuckles stepped up to the dissident and stared his imposingly in the eyes.  "Don't front with me, or I'll pound you."  
            "When we get there, what are ya gonna do? Be all commanderly and say, 'Okay, guys, here's the plan: fight. My order? I just said it: fight; I order ya.'?"  
            Knuckles fumed, and in an instant, he jutted out his fist into the critic's gut.  The censurer stumbled back, clenching his stomach, and moaned, "guess ya… knew I was right…"  
            "Hrumph," snorted Knuckles.  "'Fya don't like me, ya don't have to listen. I'm not planning on listening to any of _you_, so we'll be even."  
            "Nice attitude you've got there. A commander who'd be better off without his men. If you want to learn how to be a commander, maybe you should act like one."  
            "Take it or leave it," grunted Knuckles, turning around and marching off.  He had gotten a few feet when Tails called out in correction, "The other way!"  Knuckles stopped in his tracks and slowly turned around.  "Yeah," was all he said as he started in the other direction.  A few members of the group were covering their mouths to stifle their laughter.  
            But they did follow him.  


* * *

  
            Sonic led his squad through the baleful city of Robotropolis, marred by Robotnik, once a beacon of light, the landmark gathering of many lands, now twisted in Robotnik's image.  Under him was Bunnie, and his crew consisted of many faces he had not seen before.  He was decidedly a bit dismayed – well, perhaps not dismayed; maybe just mildly repulsed – at the fact of Antoine being in Sally's squad.  He decided not to make anything of it, though; he had a task ahead of him.  
            "If we're attacked, let me distract 'em; they'll bite into me, I'm sure, and then get the drop on 'em however you can. Use whatever Laine taught ya."  
            "An' use each other, sugahs; you're the best tools ya've got."  
            "Why are there no SWATbots?"  
            "They're all concentrated on building. That's what we have to stop."  
            "You should have listened," spoke another voice; it was familiar to Sonic.  "I tried to help you, but you wouldn't listen."  
            "Caero!"  Sonic lurched around to find the traitor at the head of a triangular formation of about eighteen SWATbots.  
            "Who the hell are these weaklings, anyway? Not soldiers, for sure. What are ya gonna do? Have 'em punch the SWATbots and break their fingers?"  
            "Dig yer grave, sugah."  
            Caero laughed.  "So hostile. I guess I can't let ya down, though."  Caero raised his arm, and then ducked beneath the SWATbots' line of fire as they fired the first shots.  Sonic heard a few scattered screams as some of the shots made contact upon some of Sonic's squad members.  
            "Work together!" Sonic bellowed in command.  He rushed forward, ducking into a ball and shredding through a SWATbot's chest.  
            Bunnie armed her cannon and took out another with the blast.  Caero took note, and rose, tearing toward her from the side.  She saw him coming, but he was already too close.  He swung his burly arm at her, and she raised her arm to defend herself, but it was the wrong arm, and Caero's strike was unimpeded, bruising her arm and sending her to the ground.  
            The SWATbots fired their second rounds, and there were a few more cries from Sonic's side.  Sonic was trying to create a distraction now.  He was running in circles, now creating a small whirlwind.  The SWATbots were programmed to hold Sonic's priority in high regard, and most of them turned to face him, randomly firing at the big tornado-shaped mass but he outran their targeting.  Those of Sonic's comrades still standing realized what he was doing, and collectively moved to take advantage, trying as best they could to get behind the SWATbots, and then the strong ones swung at the SWATbots.  Caero had his knee in Bunnie's gut now, as she lay on her back on the ground, pressing her.  Bunnie tried to swing her mechanical arm at him, but he was prepared each time, and he blocked each swing she took.  He let her swing futilely, perhaps in a cynical way, knowing he was a step ahead of her; he jutted his knee deeper in her gut and she winced.  "Ya know I love you; I don't want ta hurt you; I tried to help you; Robotnik is gonna win the war; if you join him you'll live; I gave you that chance."  
            Sonic's comrades without the confidence of strength did as Laine had suggested, gathering momentum and charging full-force at the SWATbots; their momentum succeeded in felling their enemy.  The rest of the SWATbots quickly turned toward Sonic's comrades in reaction.  Sonic dropped from his child tempest, and spun at the closest SWATbot that now had its back to him.  The SWATbots were conflicted; some were drawn to the comrades and some to Sonic.  Sonic's comrades charged at the ones who had turned their backs again.   
            Caero heard.  He lost his concentration for a moment, tilting his head back; Bunnie felt his knee relax a bit, and this was her cue.  She swung at him, delivering a blow to the side of his head and releasing her.  Caero staggered, and quickly lurched at her; he grabbed her natural wrist and whirled around, heaving her to the ground; a stone on the ground was her pillow, and she met it jarringly, going stiff.  But he was not interested in her anymore.  He quickly turned and raced toward Sonic.  
            The hedgehog was caught by surprise.  He failed to see it coming.  He had forgotten about Caero, forgotten about Bunnie, forgotten about everything but his enemy and their enemy.  Caero gave him a clout at the head, and Sonic was knocked to the ground.  
            "You're a traitor!" called Sonic from the ground; as Caero took slow steps toward him, he was slipping backward on his hands to counter the advance.  
            "It's mutual. You betrayed my advice. You'd live to see tomorrow 'fya'd just give in ta Robotnik. Ya can't win! But I'm such a damned nice guy. I'll give ya one more chance. Surrender, and I'll see that ya get a nice life."  
            "If I give up, there'll be nothing nice about it."  
            "Well, ya had your chance. But I'll see that ya get a nice afterlife."  Caero crouched down and reached for Sonic.  Sonic quickly rolled over and Caero reached dirt.  Sonic took advantage of his successful evasion, and kicked out his foot to strike Caero.  But Caero reacted, grabbing Sonic by his ankle and the lifting him.  The blood rushed to Sonic's head and his head swelled with pain, as Caero lifted him by his ankle above the ground.  He heard another cry from his comrades as another was hit by the SWATbots.  
            Caero laughed.  "See what happens when you defy Robotnik? That Ilus guy's right. How many 'fyur weaklings had to die here? All ya had ta do was stop trying to stop Robotnik, and all ya coulda lived."  
            Sonic heard another cry of his comrades; how many was that now?  How many were left?  How many SWATbots?  Sonic turned his head to try and see.  Caero was in the way, but he saw at least four SWATbots left.  How many of his guys were left?  What about Bunnie?  
            Caero felt a blunt pain in his back; he quickly turned, still holding Sonic, but lower, to find Bunnie, limping, hobbling, and bruised, weakly holding her weight.  "Just can't get enough, eh, sweets?"  He whirled and then Sonic was in the air, and then Sonic was headfirst at her chest; she was barely holding her composure enough to be standing, and the wind was easily knocked out of her.  Caero wasn't finished.  He went for Sonic.  Bunnie was beaten, too weak to get up again.  Sonic was drained and exhausted.  Caero's arm went soaring.  All of Sonic's energy was mustered as he raised both of his open palms to meet Caero's swing.  And they were a wall.  Caero's fist met the wall coming in with full quickness, to be instantaneously, arrestingly halted.  The wall closed in on him, and Sonic pushed away all of his strength into Caero, through his hands, channeled into Caero's one fist, knocking Caero backward and to the ground.  Sonic was too fatigued now.  Caero moved to rise again.  
            "Robotnik tried to take away everything," murmured Sonic from the ground.  "He destroyed so much. I can never join him. Never."  
            "Your choice. Wrong one, though."  Caero stood, and stepped toward Sonic.  And then he fell forward.  And in his place was one of Sonic's comrades, turned to the side, with his shoulder braced toward where Caero had stood.  
            The SWATbots were all felled.  Five of Sonic's comrades still stood.  They were approaching.  Caero stood again, and then, without a word, turned and fled.  
            "Wait!" shouted Sonic hoarsely.  "Join us again!"  
            But Caero only answered with the fading, fleeting sound of his flee.  
            "Bunnie, are you okay?"  
            "I'll live," she coughed weakly.  
            "Is everyone okay?"  
            "…"  
            Sonic stood slowly, but exhausted slumped back to his knees.  "How is eva…"  
            "We have casualties," sadly reported a comrade.  "And many of us injured."  
            "But I guess we did pretty well considering our opponent," added another.  
            "Fuck you."  
            "It's for the greater—"  
            "Don't you ever make little of death, you little shit. We don't even know yet. And even if we are saving the world, nothing will ever give her back to me."  
            "I'm sorry."  
            "Shut up, you little shit."  He lashed out, and the other was thrown to the ground.  
            "Stop…" pled Sonic.  
            "It's your fault she's dead. I oughta kill you!"  
            "You can't. So don't even try."  
            He started to tear, and his next words, instead of being laced with anger and hate, came as sobbing.  "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! I'm fighting no more! No more!"  
            "You think you're the only one to have lost someone you love? Then tell me where my parents are."  
            "Shut up! She's still __dead; nothing can change that."  The sobbing bled.  
            "…I won't make you fight. …Go home."  
            "Insolent bastard," he cried, "when I go home I won't find her there. She's never coming back. I just want to see her again!"  
            "Well, you can't! Nothing is going to change that! Nothing you say, no tears you cry will ever bring her back. Mourn for her, but don't brood on trying to change something that just can't be changed!"  
            "You're wrong," he sobbed.  "I can see her again; I can be with her again."  He reached into his boot pocket.  He pulled out a rusted blade, size of a pocketknife.  "I love you, baby," he teared.  "I'll be with you again soon."  
            "**No!"  
            But he plunged it into his throat, and dropped, eyes glazed.  


* * *

  
            "Well, looks like the Princess' stupidity's gonna work in our favor," grunted Brant.  "Can't believe, but she was stupid 'nuff ta let Raiyon inta her group, 'cause he wanted ta talk ta her. So he ain't here, and he can't tell us what ta do. So here's the plan: we're gonna walk for a ways, an' then we's gonna turn 'round an' walk back."  
            "What's your problem?!" snapped Laine.  "If you're gonna spit on the Princess, you're gonna have to answer to me first."  
            Brant grunted a laugh.  "You?"  Brant flexed.  "I'll kick yer ass. Said we didn't want ya here anyway."  
            "Dude, we never wanted to fight. Just stay out of this," said Arnost.  
            "You're not just spitting on the Princess; you're spitting on Raiyon too. And I can't stand seeing you disrespect your own leader."  
            "Well, you aren't one of us, so how about you stay out of things you have no business in?" retorted Arnost.  
            "'Cause I've got a basic level of principles to uphold, and I'm not gonna let you step on everything they've said just 'cause they've got their backs turned."  
            "You want a piece of me?" growled Brant, flexing again.  
            "If that's what it takes."  Laine, if he was intimidated, didn't let them see as much.  
            Brant stepped toward Laine and took a big, slow, heavy swing.  Laine ducked under the laborious strike, and tried to deliver a sucker punch in return.  His counterattack failed, though, as Brant didn't appear to be harmed much by Laine's fist in his gut.  Brant raised his arm and swung it down at Laine from above.  Laine rolled out of the way; Brant's fist grazed him and he winced in pain, but he had at least avoided suffering the fist at his skull.  Laine didn't let the injury slow his counterattack, however, as he quickly rolled into position behind Brant and threw his momentum at Brant's back, felling Brant to the ground with his elbow and shoulder and arm.  
            "Is fighting the only thing you know, lug?"  
            Brant growled, and quickly tried to get up again, but Laine stepped upon Brant's back with his right foot, and pinned him back to the ground on his stomach.  
            "Just think of me as Raiyon's voice. Don't you have any respect for him?"  
            "We respect the hell out of him," said Arnost.  "And maybe that's why we're so mad: 'cause even he is on their side."  
            "Whose side?"  
            "Your side. Anyone who wants to send us into battle."  
            Another face spoke – a new face.  "We just want to stay out of this war, and Raiyon's always been right there with us on that. But now even he's turned around. He was always right there with us, saying how the only smart thing to do was stay out of the conflict until it came to us. And now he's turned."  
            "You were in this conflict from the day Robotnik took the throne. Robotnik attacked you on that day."  
            Brant grunted from under Laine's pinning foot.  "Argh, can I get up now? I'll do what Raiyon wants; just let me up."  
            Laine let him up.  
            "So are we going?"  
            "Fine, we're going."  


* * *

  
            "We've been trying to stay out of the conflict for a long time now. We rebelled at first, but when it didn't seem like we were really making any difference, like our victories didn't really equate to any progress, we stopped, and I started preaching isolationism."  
            "So when did Tarahassas find you?"  
            "One of their men was on a pilgrimage of some sort, and we happened upon them not far from our home. Say, why is it that you guys have kept fighting? Have your efforts really changed anything?"  
            Sally frowned.  "Well, I guess it depends on how you look at it, but I'll be honest: We really haven't gained any footing against Robotnik. If the fight was a tug-of-war match, we'd probably be pulling about the same. But, that means we have made a difference; if we just cowered in fear, he'd have knocked us all down and wrenched the rope from our hands. He hasn't gained much footing, either. And before he burned Knothole, we had given a lot of people a place to live. If we hadn't fought, we'd never have found them. And we found Sonic's uncle… and we were at least working on others…"  
            "I've been starting to change my mind lately, about our place in all of this. I think I've always known… that we should take the offensive against Robotnik, that that's the only way we'll ever be able to realize any change for the better. But every time that voice speaks, I would stifle it and shove it to the back of my mind.  Because it tells me to fight, and I tried fighting; it felt so… futile. Throwing lives away. If we hid… if Robotnik couldn't find us, he couldn't kill us. So I kept silencing that voice and kept preaching isolationism. But when you guys came to us, it started to lift that voice. And I'm still not sure what it is I want to do; I don't know if I'm ready yet to listen to that voice, to let that voice speak. But I'm starting to move in that direction, starting slowly to be convinced – by you, and by myself – that maybe it's not all in vain, and maybe it's not all futile."  
            Sally started crying, from nowhere and asudden.  
            "What; did I say something?"  
            "It's just that… I was thinking… and it does all seem… so futile…"  
            "I didn't mean to— I didn't want to go backwards…"  
            "No, no, it's okay. I'm okay now."  Sally wiped her eyes.  "If we work together, we are stronger than Robotnik; just gotta keep telling myself that!"  
            "You don't have to tell yourself that. You just have to do it, and see if it works for yourself. And if it doesn't, you tried the best you could, and that's all you can do."  
            "Will… will you fight with us, then? I don't mean today; I mean… forever. It's the only way I can do it, and try the best I can…"  
            "I… I'd like to say yes, but I need more time to decide… I'm sorry…"  
            "Don't apologize; you haven't said 'no' yet."  


* * *

  
            The huge silver – if silver was so dull as this, so… devoid – pylon, tall, behemothic, and… incomplete, was ahead.  Its mindless makers were but dwarves in its long shadow from this distance, but they were many, a swarm, a festering infection that swarmed its foot.  It was headless, ending at the neck; it was not yet born and its head was the last part to be formed.  The Grand Tower.  To be.  
            "Okay, guys, so… here's the plan: fight."  
            Everybody stared blankly, their eyes blinking, fluttering as wings on a butterfly.  
            "Just kidding."  Knuckles smirked wryly.  "Espio, infiltrate 'em under cloak, and bash 'em up. Then we'll charge."  
            "That's not much more to go on than if you had just said to 'fight'."  
            Knuckles ignored him.  


* * *

  
            "On the day of usurping, I was quickly ushered out of the castle; I didn't have any idea then of what was happening; they wouldn't tell me. Once I was out, I was then left alone, to learn for myself; eventually, I found out, and we banded together – the ones I found, or that found me – and vowed to take back the throne."  
            "It's so sad."  
            "Who's that?"  
            "If I must give a name," the voice sighed sardonically, "you may call me _K_."  The beast revealed himself, and ten SWATbots filed out behind him.  "I, General of our Lord, Robotnik, am the ender of your rebellion. It ends here."  
            "Ay, zut alors!" Antoine drew his sword in fury.  "Zoo will not be speaking such words of threason!"  
            "Treason? You're the treasonists now. Now Robotnik is the one true lord. Your lineage is over, once-princess."  
            "Stand forth!"  Her comrades lined up.  
            "Sharge!" Antoine dropped his formerly-to-the-sky blade, holding the hilt firmly in his hand.  He rushed forward, cutting through a SWATbot with his blade.  
            "Fire!" boomed the beast.  
            Cries of anguish echoed from Sally's side of the battlefield as the SWATbots opened fire.  
            Raiyon pulled a long stick from a sheath on his belt; it looked like bamboo, yet was more firm.  Sally was shouting orders; Raiyon was already in motion.  He spun the long stick, clotheslining two SWATbots.  Antoine, with his foil, impaled another.  The staff felled another pair before the beast was upon him.  Just as the beast clobbered Raiyon with a heavy blow, sending him to the soil, Antoine swung his blade at the beast from behind.  The beast's eye twitched as he foresaw the attack, raising his arm in anticipation, to deflect Antoine's strike.  The sword pierced the flesh of his arm; it was bloodied.  It did not see much blood in this mechanical war, and it relished the taste now.  The beast's arm bore the scarlet scar, oozing life.  How alive?  The beast growled in anger, and then pummeled Antoine with his other arm, plowing it across his face and knocking him violently down.  
            The comrades, meanwhile, were engaging the SWATbots, many using their momentum as Laine had taught; every so often, one of their screams would sound.  
            The beast hovered in poise over his prey, a smug look upon his face.  And then.  Lurched, fell.  The Princess had made her move, planted her boot in the small of his back.  The beast broke his fall with his hands, but pain surged through their palms and surged up into his wrists; the pain started him to the ground for a moment before he made a move to rise again.  Rise he did.  Those same palms threw Sally to the ground in repercussion.  
            But now another was restanding.  Raiyon was up and in motion.  The staff slugged the beast and the beast winced, but quickly turned to repay the staffbearer.  
            "Zhou will be surrendering now."  Antoine stood, sword pointed at the beast.  In stark reaction, the beast laughed.  "As you wish."  What?  "I could crush you and your **__vigor… but I enjoy watching minds and spirits so… alive. And with Anselan now awake, I've no needto stop you."  
            Rise again.  Back turned.  Stride away.  


* * *

  
            "There."  Laine gestured with his arm.  The Grand Tower.  to be.  A product of the infection that festered around it.  
            Brant grunted.  
            The tower's collar was a half-ring.  Perhaps the full ring was yet unfinished.  
            "Well, let's go."  
            Brant crossed his arms.  
            "I said: let's go."  
            Brant grunted again.  "Fine."  
            Stride away.  


* * *

  
            "That's gotta be it."  Sonic pointed.  The place here, beyond the city, stretched arid.  The metal spire rose up from the dust.  Its makers congregated around it like fermenting yeast.  
  
            "This must be it."  Sally pointed to the grand spire that grew from the ground.  
  
            Charge.  


* * *

  
            This place had almost a desert quality about it, yet possessed a gray air in imbuement.  It was an empty aridity, a sere plain of cracked clay and stone and dust, here behind Robotnik's projection of ego.  And amidst the nothing, the dull gray tower that rose into the heavens, breaking through the gray clouds that drifted here from Robotnik's factories.  And its makers massed around it.  
            There was, aerially, this needle in God's eye, and a jittering, fidgeting circle that bounded it.  But it was unfinished.  Ended at the neck.  Decapitated, executed… or unborn?  In all cases, headless.  An abomination, a monster.  Yet, not at all.  Just a spire.  Spire with a frilly metallic collar at its pinnacle.  Machina, non nefas.  Non vivus; non nefas.  Tantummodo machina.  Tantummodo chalybeius.  Chalybs.  
            And they converged from all sides.  Convergence on all sides.  
            "Raise arms!"  
            Sally glanced around.  And then, on the other side, she caught Laine's familiar face, ready.  And off in the distance to her left, Sonic's reassuring countenance.  A red figure across the aridity.  We are all here.  We are together.  And we will fight together.  Win together.  Feed together; pay together.  She raised her arm with a twisted smile.  And they saw.  Raised their arms.  Together.  
            Go.  


* * *

  
            And they charged.  From the four sides of the arena, the small lines of unique bodies started converging toward the clones in the center.  They moved together, from their different loci, toward their singular target: the grand tower to be.  Its makers dissolved from their holy magnet in reaction.  But they did not stray far from the magnetic force.  They turned and looked upon its assailants but did not advance; the invisible magnet of reverence, of holiness, held them.  
  
            "Why aren't they attacking?!" Sonic yelled at the top of his lungs.  
            "I don't know! Destroy them anyway!"  
            A hidden loudspeaker came booming.  It laughed.  "They aren't attacking," the voice was unmistakably Robotnik's, "because they don't __have to."  
            "'Buttnik!" shouted Sonic.  "Then I guess I'm'a hafta tear 'em all apart!"  
            "Always the outspoken one, eh, miserable hedgehog? I see you've found some new friends."  
            "Robotnik!" shouted Sally from the other side of the tower.  "We are here as one. And we will destroy you!"  
            "Princess, I'm glad you've come," Robotnik spoke, his voice laced with cruel laughter.  "You'll be able to witness the power of Anselan! Once you've seen it, you can die knowing you've witnessed genius at least once in your life."  
            "Robotnik, I've witnessed all the genius I'll ever need from my father!"  
            The loudspeaker chuckled quietly.  "So, how many of you are here today? This is becoming quite an event. Gather round, petty fools, for the revelation is about to be unveiled!"  
            "Shut your mouth, Robuttnik! If you're just gonna have these bots sit here, I'm'a hafta do some dismantlin'!"  
            "Be my guest, worthless rodent! Anselan will protect them! …Or, perhaps, destroy them for you, but I can always build more. …Wait… is that the guardian I see?"  
            "You bastard!"  
            "So hostile? I kept my promise, didn't I? I saved your friends' worthless lives."  
            Knuckles could find no words.  
            "Alas, you could have stayed out of this, but you had to throw your life away. Rebels die like scum, my friend. Rebels die like the scum they are."  
            "Your speech is putting me to sleep; it's time to juice and cut it loose!"  
            As Sonic picked up his feet to rush into battle with the motionless SWATbots, a blue glow appeared around the base of the tower.  As it increased in intensity, Sonic stopped in his tracks.  "Oh shit!" he exclaimed.  "This thing's gonna fire!"  
            The loudspeaker laughed malevolently.  
            The torus grew brighter and brighter until it reached a blinding white instensity.  
            And then it exploded.  
            It radiated outward with forceful speed, its radius mounting and mounting as its reach broadened, and its invisible hands stretched further and further, as it took more and more under its blinding wing.  And as it reached out, it also grew taller and taller.  
            When Sonic felt it hit him, it dragged him back; it pushed him with its mass, yet it had no mass.  But as it moved, everything it touched met a wall; it was a wall, and it heaved everything back with it; it was barrier.  Over it all, the echoing laughter.  
            "Behold Anselan! You've come all this way, and I most sincerely hope it was not for naught. Was that not a marvelous show?"  
            The barrier was now a quarter the height of what was yet built of the tower, and it held a wide radius.  The bright blue aura shone around the base of the tower, looming, and was a wall.  
            And Anselan stood.  
  
            "What is this, Nicole?"  
            "It appears to be some variety of force field, a synthetic barrier."  
            "But what __is it?"  
            "Details on this device are unknown, less the name by which Robotnik identified it: 'Anselan'."  
            "But what is the source of its power?"  
            "That information is unknown, Sally. Insufficient data."  
  
            They tried to plow into it, but the brilliant azure barrier was unbreachable.  The drones turned back to their work.  
  
            "No!"  
  
            Powerless, left standing in the store window staring at the toy or dress they wanted so badly, pawing at the window without the means to purchase.  
  
            "So what the hell do we do now?"  
            "I don't know!"  
            "Well, you damn well better figure it out! You brought us into this!"  
            "This is what we get…"  
            "Calm down!"  
            "You're right. Let's calm down. After all, this is the end of our involvement. We can go home now."  
            "Shut the hell up and think of something."  
            "Why the hell should __I think of anything? I never wanted to be here."  
            "Just shut the hell up and think."  
            "Touch that thing. It's not going anywhere. There's nothing we can do."  
            And then came the loudspeaker, in her head: "That's the spirit!"  
_


	14. Thirteen: Proxy

**13  
****Proxy  
**

  
            "W_e have reached the point where it is no longer viable to simply hope."  
_            "Then what do you suggest?"_  
_            "Intervene."_  
_            "How? What am I supposed to do? Leap upon the earth and convince Julian than I am a god and that I command him to stop at once?"_  
_            "No. I suggest that you speak with our Kouken-san."_  
_            "Am I supposed to tell him who I am? He'd break down, and we'd never get anything done. We're running out of time. We have to have him in a clean state of mind_._"_  
_            "Then don't. But he needs to be given some sort of instructions. We don't have time enough to simply hope he can figure out a way on his own."_  
_            "There are others, too."_  
_            "Yes, but surely their hope is waning. They came together, confident, and were never even given a chance to carry out their plan. They didn't even get a chance to confront the construct. It is quite likely that they will be disillusioned about their capabilities."_  
_            "Then what am I to do? Speak to him again? Tell him what? Regardless of what I say, don't you think he'll want to know who it is that is giving him such arcane instructions? He didn't even listen to me last time."_  
_            "We'll have to pray that he listens this time."_  
_            "Well, what could we possibly tell him that would be able to take down the coming threat? All we can give are words."_  
_            "As it is now, the united legion cannot even approach the construct. The barrier surrounds it. It doesn't matter if they do or do not have the capabilities for destroying it, for they cannot even approach it in order to try."_  
_            "Would you mind telling me something I don't know?"_  
_            "Did you not say before that if we reached a roadblock as we have now, that you would lead him to the Relics?"_  
_            "Ah, yes. We do still have those… I hope, at least, that they are still safe. But do they have the power to destroy the barrier?"_  
_            "I believe that one of the Relics was the device called the Field Nullifier… it should have the power to oppose the barrier, presuming that we have correctly assessed the nature of the barrier."_  
_            "I should lead him to the F-Nullifier, then?"_  
_            "Unless you have a better idea. …Oh, but you must be sure to spell out to him that he and the united legion must be careful with the Nullifier, and with the construct, for it still contains the jewel. The jewel, of course, must be salvaged."_  
_            "Yes. I am, however, doubtful of how well he will be able to relay those orders to the united legion. They must all be aware of the necessity to not destroy the jewel along with the construct."_  
_            "Before any progress can be made, the barrier must be conquered. The rest can come later."_  


* * *

  
            "How are we supposed to stop Robotnik if we can't even reach the tower? That force field is in the way!"  
            "Rotor, do you have any ideas? Any machines?"  
            Rotor was still on his weak bed, but doing better.  "I don't have any data on the nature of Robotnik's field, nor have I spent much time studying force fields… I have some experimental explosives we could try… that's all I can suggest."  
            "This is absurd! You dragged us all the way out here just so we could get on Robotnik's hit list? This is hopeless! There's nothing we can do!"  
            "We'd better get back to Ilus quickly before he destroys it! Better to defend Ilus than to stick here with these idiots."  
            "Order!"  
            "I don't answer to you. You can't keep us here. We can leave if we want to."  
            "You've seen the tower with your own eyes! Don't you believe the world is in danger now?"  
            "How the hell should I know? I don't know what that tower is. It's just another thing Robotnik's building for all I care. Robotnik builds a lot of things, and I'm not about to get so worried over one tower. You guys might be getting worked up for nothing. And we have a home to defend."  
            "If it was just any old building, why would Robotnik guard it so forcefully? He doesn't need a huge force field for just _any_ old building."  
            "Look, I don't really __care why Robotnik has a force field around the tower. Maybe it means it's the end of the world. Maybe it doesn't. But it's not like you have any good ideas about what to do about the field anyway. My time's better spent at home, in defense, than sitting around here while you guys try to come up with an idea that just doesn't exist."  
  
            Knuckles was trying to stay out of the myriad arguments that were encircling his head and saturating the air, as he kept his distance several feet away from the angry shouting and arms flying and the constant attempts to be the loudest voice, topping and topping as the cacophony grew louder and louder.  He tried to mute it all out; he was uninterested in these petty squabbles.  Why did allegiance matter so much to these fools?  Knuckles cared not about where his allegiance lay.  It wasn't worth arguing about.  He could pass his allegiance from hand to hand as it best served his interests and goals.  If they didn't want to be here, then why waste time arguing about it, yelling at the top of their lungs?  Why not just leave and be done with it?  Knuckles tried to answer that, saying to himself that they were too petty to come up with such a rational rationale.  
            "Koukennin!"  
            Knuckles was started.  He had, until now, successfully managed to drown out the arguments in his own self-conversation.  He had managed to absorb himself in his self-discussion, and had all but removed himself from the angry shouting.  But one shout had managed to breach his defense of the mind, and with it, all the shouting came roaring back.  
            "Damn you," mumbled Knuckles aloud, to whomever it was that had spoken that word, and in turn started him from his state of being lost in thought.  
            "Koukennin!"  
            This exclamation chafed Knuckles' skin like sandpaper.  He roused himself and began looking in all directions around him, trying to find the source of the word.  
            __"Kouken-san!"  
            Knuckles intensified his search for the speaker, the one whom he was rapidly becoming vexed by.  Knuckles scanned the crowds, but couldn't identify the speaker.  
            _"I am not there."_  
            "Gah!"  For the first time, Knuckles became consciously aware of the fact: the speaker was addressing _him_.  Before, the exclamations had blended in with all the dissonant shouting and arguing being thrown around and around and around.  But now the words were answers to his own actions.  Knuckles looked desperately around for who it was that was speaking.  
            _"You won't find me."_  
            "Can't you just leave me be? I've no stake in these idiots' arguments. I just want to stay out of their idiocy."  
            _"This is not about them, Kouken-san."_  
            "Then come over here and talk, bastard. I'd like to introduce you to my fist, too, for bothering me like this."  
            _"I'm afraid I can't. I'm not here."_  
            "What are you talking about? Just get your ass over here."  
            _"No, you see, I am not here. I am only in your mind, Koukennin."_  
            "What?"  
            And for the first time, Knuckles made the connection.  The voice that had spoken to him in Robotnik's cell.  This voice.  In the cell, it was a natural deduction – that the voice was in his head – for there were no others in the cell with him.  Yet now there were many shouting voices and many people around him; Knuckles simply presumed that one of them was talking, that the speaker was one of them, here with him in this petty place.  Knuckles slammed his palms over his ears, and the shouting voices of the people in the crowds were muffled, quieted.  
            __"Koukennin."  
            All the voices were made quieter as Knuckles held his hands tight over his ears.  Except that one.  It came unbridled, as loud as it had always been.  And Knuckles now knew that the voice wasn't one he could impede from getting into his head by means of closing their road into his mind with his hands.  It was already past his ears; no control he placed at his ears could affect it.  It was directly in his mind.  
            _"Koukennin… listen."_  
            Knuckles threw his hands down from his ears and yelled, "Who the hell are you?!"  
            _"Those answers will come, but there are far greater matters to discuss now."_  
"How are you in my head? What are you?"  
            _"Listen, Koukennin. There will be time for all of your questions later. But now you must listen, as I tell you what to do."_  
            "What to do? What to do about what?"  
            _"About Julian's construct, and the barrier he has instilled around it."_  
            "The tower, you mean?"  
            _"Yes, the tower you only just confronted. Listen so that I might instruct you on the course for standing against the barrier, so that you might strike the construct itself."_  
            "And why should I listen to you, anyway?"  
            __"Because you must, Kouken-san."__  
            "Why do you keep calling me that?"  
            _"Because it is what you are. Now listen!"_  
            "I didn't listen to you last time."  
            _"I know. But you must listen now!"_  
            "Why?"  
            _"Because if you don't, then who is there to stand against the construct?"_  
            "Can't you hear them yelling out there? They will."  
_            "Only if they can overcome their differences and fight together. But that is why you must listen. If you can give them a way, they may stop bickering. If you listen, I will lead you to a way. You must tell them that you have the answer, that you know the next course of action to take against the construct's barrier. Perhaps then they will quiet their shouting voices and follow you. They haven't one to follow of now, for not one has an idea. You will have the idea. Listen."_  
            "And who are you to come up with an idea when all of them can't?!"  
            _"I am one who knows of things that they do not. I know of ancient Relics that they know not of. Will you listen to me so that I might instruct you on what to do?"_  
            "You're in my head. It's not like I can shut you up."  
            _"But will you listen? Will you follow my instructions?"_  
"Fine."  
            _"You will do as I instruct? You will tell all of them that which I tell you to relay?"_  
            "Fine."  
            _"Then I shall tell. In the center of the ___Island__ lies the former site of the City. Go due north from there until you reach the ancient ruins. You might simply start your search on the northern end of the _Island___ if you so desire. Locate the entrance as I guide you, and within I will guide you to the crate that contains the Field Nullifier. This should have the power to conquer the construct's barrier.  
_            "Now, listen close. Here is what you must tell the others: On the __Island___, there exists a device called the Field Nullifier. This device can surmount the barrier around the tower. You will lead them to this device, and they must work together, for you have the answer which they do not.  
_            "You must tell them that it is imperative that they remain united and locate the device. You must also make sure they are aware that the jewel is still inside of the tower, and that they must exhibit caution when launching an assault on the tower so as not to take the jewel with it."_  
"You mean the Emerald? It's in that tower?"  
            _"Indeed, if our assessments are correct."_  
            "What do you mean, 'our'?"  
            __"A simple slip.__ I meant, 'my.'"  
            "So, you'll guide me to this 'Nullifier'?"  
            _"I will, but first you must tell them what I have told you to relay."_  
            "Alright."  
            Knuckles took a few steps forward, and then proclaimed: "I have the idea!"  
            "What?"  
            "I know what we should do."  
            "Ha. I'm sure you do."  Several members of the crowd jeered to themselves or rolled their eyes.  
            "On the Floating Island, there is a device, called the Field Nullifier, in some ancient ruins. It should be able to destroy the barrier."  
            The crowd drew silent.  
            Sally stepped forward.  "Knuckles, is this true?"  
            "Yes. We've gotta all stay together. I'll lead us to the device."  Knuckles almost forgot the rest of his instructions, but received a jostling in his mind and quickly remembered.  "But I have to tell you one more thing. The Emerald is in that tower. Don't destroy the—"  
            "How do you know the Emerald is in that tower?"  
            "How do I?" asked Knuckles aloud, as if imploring the answer from the voice in his head.  It had no answer.  
            "That's what I asked."  
            "It's a reasonable deduction," assisted Sally.  "The tower's construction followed Robotnik's capture of the emerald, and the two things seem connected. It would make sense, even, that the barrier's source of power is the emerald."  
            "When we attack the tower, we can't destroy it. We can't destroy the emerald. We can't destroy the tower until we've gotten the emerald out."  
            "Is this whole 'Nullifier' thing just a scheme to get us to stay here and not go back to Ilus?"  
            "I don't care about you guys' arguments. I'm just telling you guys what we should do next. I don't have any stake in your bickerings."  
            "Bunnie," said Sally, "remain here with a sizable force and try to prepare an assault on the tower. Sonic, Knuckles, and I will take a smaller task force to the Floating Island and try to retrieve this device."  
            Knuckles felt a tap on his shoulder.  He turned to find Espio there.  
            "How do you know all this?"  
            "I…just do."  
            "No, there's something else…"  
            "Espio… someone is telling me these things."  
            "Who?"  
            "I don't know."  
            "What do you mean, you don't know?"  
            "I mean, I have never seen them."  
            "What?!"  
            "They talk to me through my head."  
            "Knuckles, maybe you shouldn't be leading them on. If you're hearing voices, I don't think you should tell everyone they're gospel."  
            "Well, we'll see soon enough if I'm just going insane, or if the voice is real. We'll see if he really leads me to the device like he said he would."  
            "Okay!" came Sally's voice.  "Knuckles, are you ready to depart? We should get going as soon as possible. The sooner we can launch a front on Robotnik's tower, the better."  
            Knuckles turned to face her and nodded.  "Espio's coming with me."  
            "That's fine with me."  Sally turned from him.  "Sonic, Tails, Laine, are you ready? Bunnie and Antoine, try to instruct everybody here on their plan of attack against the tower. Alright, then, let's go!"  


* * *

  
            The flight, for the most part, was occupied with silence, bar Knuckles telling Tails that their destination was the ruins due north of the center of the Island.  
            Knuckles drifted off into a state of waking sleep.  As the plane descended ahead of a plane of ancient columns and corroded arches, Knuckles was thrown from his daze.  
            As he descended the ramp, he mumbled to himself – to the voice, "Where now?"  There was no answer.  
            "Where do I go now?" he restated, slightly louder this time.  No answer.  
            Espio's hand touched his shoulder again.  "You okay?"  
            Knuckles nodded.  
            "So, where's it we're going?" asked Sonic.  
            "Looking for the entrance, I guess," replied Knuckles, stonefaced.  
            "I guess we'd best start looking," stated Laine, with the slightest tinge of irritation.  
            They all concurred, and started off into the ruins.  
            Around them towered half-structures, temples decayed with age, roofless and once-magnificent shrines.  
            "Nicole, environ assessment?"  
      "Sally, I am detecting a possible SWATbot presence about 100 yards behind our current position. Its trajectory appears to be moving in our direction."  
_            "We can't allow them to find the Relics."_  
            "Where were you before when I was asking for directions?"  
_            "That's not important right now. What's important is that you not lead them to the Relics."_  
            "I don't even know where to go."  
_            "And you shan't whilst the enemy is still in the vicinity."_  
            Knuckles sighed aloud.  "What if I accidentally find the place anyway? Why don't you just tell me where it is so we can beat the robots there?"  
            _"I cannot take the chance that the enemy is capable of tracking you. They could already be aware of your presence and be following your steps."_  
            "Then what the hell do you want me to do? Didn't you want me to find this shit and save the world, or whatever?"  
            _"Don't speak so confidently. Finding – and even putting to use – the Nullifier, will by no means 'save the world.' Rather, if you don't do as much, then I don't see how it will be possible to stop Julian. I do not know the capabilities he plans to instill in his construct by its completion, but I do not wish to take any risks. Finding the Nullifier only makes it possible to disarm the construct; it certainly doesn't do anything more than lower the construct's defenses. Whatever potency it has would still be."_  
            "Hmph. Well, would you mind telling me what to do now?"  
_            "Instruct the group to turn around and neutralize the threat… destroy the enemy presence… then I will give you further instructions."_  
"What the hell kind of game is this? Is it fun for you, keeping me in the dark?"  
            _"Just go. I will lead you to the Relics when the enemy threat is dispelled."_  
            "Damn; fine."  
            Knuckles slowed his pace to fall back alongside the rest of the group.  After a few seconds of silence, he made his statement: "Everyone, stop."  As the order eventually permeated completely, and it had reached each member of the small group, murmuring of unrest rose up.  Knuckles answered their unspoken questions: "We've gotta destroy those robots back there. They can't see where we're going."  
            "What?"  
            "I said, we can't let the robots follow us."  
            "Why are you giving such big-boy orders all of a sudden?" questioned Sonic.  
            Sally pulled out Nicole and had her assess their surroundings again.  90 yards: the supposed SWATbot presence was indeed moving toward them.  Perhaps it was indeed tracking them.  
            "I never knew ya to think enough to even figure they might be following us," said Espio with a slight smile.  
            "They might be tracking us. They can't find out where we're going."  
            "Where __are we going, anyway?"  
            "We have to destroy them first."  
            "But where are we going then?"  
            Espio stepped up alongside Knuckles and, in a low voice so as to keep it between himself and Knuckles, asked, "Do you even know where we're going?"  
            Knuckles turned to Espio and returned his low voice: "We have to destroy the robots first."  
            "What does that mean? Do you know where this place we're supposed to find is, or not?"  
            "He'll tell me after we get rid of the robots, so they can't track us there."  
            "He'll tell you? Who?"  
            "The guy who talks to me through my head."  
            "Wait, so you mean it's not even your idea to make sure we're not being tracked? He told you to do it?"  
            "Yeah."  
            "So you're just doing whatever he says? You're just doing it because he told you to do it?"  
            "What the hell else am I supposed to do?"  
            Espio sighed.  "I don't know."  
            Knuckles turned back to face the rest of the group, and restated: "We have to go destroy those robots; c'mon, let's go."  
            "I guess it probably is a good idea. We don't want them to destroy the device," said Sally.  She had come up with a justification.  Knuckles had none, other than to fulfill the mysterious voice's orders.           Now there was a reason.  
            "Do we always have to fight?" protested Laine.  "Can't we just once try to avoid them instead?"  
            "It's probably worth it," answered Sally on Knuckles' behalf.  "We'd be in a worse fix if they caught up to us at the device."  
            "Alright; alright," conceded Laine.  
            So the group turned around.  
  
            And after some walking, they saw the presence.  There were about seven.  Seven?  This wasn't just a scouting patrol.  They must be a special dispatchment.  And they must be tracking.  
            They must know we're here.  How funny was it, then, concealing themselves behind the crumbling columns, trying to remain hidden, when the enemy could see through your shield?  They weren't fooling anyone, were they?  
            "Seven of them?"  
            "They've got to be tracking us. Why else would there be seven SWATbots here for no reason?"  
            "Then they already know we're here."  
            "Indeed."  
            Knuckles had an idea.  "Maybe Espio can slip in."  
            Espio gave a half-wink, and then slipped into nothing.  
            "Whoa," commented Laine.  "Where'd he go?"  
            "I'm right here," came Espio's voice.  
            "He's a chameleon. He's just doin' his thing," said Knuckles.  
            Sally gave a smile.  Her smile then subsided, as she said, "Let's hope they can't still track him."  
            "Don't worry about me," said Espio.  "I've taken a beating like this before. Just don't forget to come in after me."  
            Without another word, Espio leaped out from behind the column, and circumnavigated the group of SWATbots, before, from behind, invisible specter, felling one.  Instantly the others were roused, and all at once turned to where their fallen clone had stood.  Espio, luckily, made the smart choice of fleeing from that spot, for the SWATbots took a few seconds to charge their weapons, and then fired upon where he would have been.  
            Knuckles took this opportunity and, without signaling to the others, simply charged.  The SWATbots, in their semicircular formation, had one or two who could see his figure through their optic sensors; those who faced him charged and fired.  Knuckles leapt into the air, over their shots, and glided into one.  Sally took a moment to realize that Knuckles was already ahead, but quickly then signaled to Sonic, Laine, and Tails to follow her as she followed suit.  Sonic was already ahead of her, though, having had followed Knuckles as soon as he realized Knuckles was in action.  The SWATbots, now faced with their priority one, fired desperately, but Sonic weaved around their shots, and plowed through the first he reached.  
            Sally, amidst the confusion, managed to get behind another SWATbot and fell it with a kick.  Another SWATbot, however, was quick to respond, firing upon her.  The shot hit her in the leg and, with a yelp, she stumbled to the ground.  
            "Sally!"  
            Her attacker quickly lost its head as Sonic passed through it in reaching her.  "Sally, are you alright?"  
            "I'm… okay…"  
            "Gotta get you someplace safe."  
            Sonic wasted no time in lifting her in his arms and dashing.  Just in time, as it would turn out: had it not been for the few moments another SWATbot had to spend charging its weapon, Sonic would have felt the same pain Sally had… perhaps worse.  But Sonic's speed had saved him once again.  Crouching down behind a broken frame of a once-structure, he gently rested Sally on the ground.  "You'll be okay."  And then he was gone.  
            Laine, meanwhile, had managed to fell a few SWATbots on his own.  Tails had created his own confusion within SWATbots that no longer had the ground beneath their feet, as he lifted them and left them dazed.  Together with Espio, the SWATbots were assaulted from both the sky and from nowhere.  And Sonic tore them apart methodically.  Knuckles, right behind.  
            Methodically?  Is that the word I used?  No, no, not methodically.  Vengefully.  Sonic felt a newfound hatred for these things that didn't even feel, didn't even live.  They were never alive.  They were Robotnik's children.  He was their Maker.  Their father, and their deity.  But they didn't feel that deeply.  They didn't know what it __meant to be the product of creation instead of birth.  They just knew Robotnik was their brain.  He told them what to do.  They listened.  He was above them.  But __why?  That, they didn't know.  
            But Sonic hated them.  They hurt her.  And they were all the same.  All the same.  So they'd all receive his retribution for the crime of their clone, their brother in steel.  No longer did he plow through them.  Now he dismembered them.  It was a pity, then, that they didn't feel pain.  Whatever termination they met was the same as any other.  They had no pride.  They lost nothing by being terminated any one way over any other way.  All the same.  But to Sonic, perhaps it was subconsciously symbolic.  …And it would subside.  
            But now they were terminated.  There would be no more exacting.  For now, at least.  So Sonic retreated back to where he had lain Sally down.  "Can you walk, Sal?"  
            "I… think so…"  
            "I'll help."  
            And he brought Sally's arm about his shoulder, and helped her to her feet.  And they walked.  The others would follow.  
  
            Knuckles was impartial to the others' episodes.  Espio was alright.  Besides, why should he care about the others when they hadn't even cared about __his friends?  He still hadn't found Vector or Mighty.  So they were thus not his concern.  His heart was a mutual one.  And if it must be one-sided, it would never be opposing him.  
            "So, now will you tell me where to go?" asked Knuckles hesitantly, for every time he had tried to initiate a conversation, he had been given no response.  
            But, much to Knuckles' relief, the voice spoke: _"Yes."_  
            "You coming?"  Knuckles turned to find Laine facing him, from a few yards away.  
            It took Knuckles a fair amount of inner might to overcome the irritation of being interrupted and realize that Laine's intentions were good.  But he amassed it, and nodded, striding off toward Laine.  Laine acknowledged, turning to follow the rest of the group, already ahead.  
            _"Lead them northwest. I presume one of you has a compass. Go three-ten marks; that's west by northwest."_  
            "Say again?"  
            The voice sighed.  _"Just lead the group northwest for now."_  
            "Alright."  
            Knuckles hastened his step.  
  
            "So, where to now?"  Sally threw out the words casually, without even turning to face Knuckles.  Maybe she was asking everyone; Knuckles hadn't seemed to know the last time the subject had been brought up.  
            But Knuckles answered.  "Northwest."  
  
            And once they had walked a fair distance, the voice spoke again.  __"Turn north."  
            "North now."  
            And once they had walked a bit, the voice spoke again.  __"West."  
            "West."  
            And then the voice directed again.  __"Just north, you should see a large structure which dips into the ground.  That's where you want to go."  
            Knuckles looked around, and then he saw it.  "There."  He pointed.  
            The circle made its way to where he had pointed.  
            And when they reached it, they beheld its marvel.  The ruin here was wide and grand, digging, sinking into the ground, lined with broken columns on both sides, arching upward.  As they descended down into its crater, the columns stood up like grand walls on either side, daunting.  Each step showed them how small they were in this great chasm.  Each slow step gave them another opportunity to gaze ahead, at the magnificent arch that stood atop the cliff.  For at the end, the descent into the ground climaxed, and the level ground held its greatest height from their beveled floor.  One end, the way the came in, was a ramp, sloping downward, and the opposite end was a wall, a cliff.  And in that wall, a door.  
            Double doors, magnificently tall and engraved with art of beautiful detail.  What were these doors used for, back in their time?  Knuckles stood before them, dwarfed under them.  The doors were probably three times his height, and their double breadth made them colossal.  
            _"What you stand before now, Koukennin, are the Doors of Fallacy."_  
            "The Doors of Fallacy?"  
            _"What lies beyond these doors must not fall to the enemy. You must ensure their secrecy. Once you leave with the Nullifier, you must reseal the Doors. They mustn't fall into the hands of evil, as they did on that infamous day."_  
"Huh?"  
            _"I am but brooding on history. Don't mind me. Just swear that you will not allow the enemy to open the Doors of Fallacy."_  
            "If you tell me how."  
            _"I will tell you."_  
            "Okay, then. I'll do what you say if it will stop Robotnik from getting his hands on—"  
            "What are you mumbling about?"  Sally was behind him, now.  
            "Oh, um, sorry."  
            "It's okay. Do you know how to open these doors?"  The dual handles were several feet above their heads.  Sally suspected that they were just decorative and aesthetic, not an actual means of opening the doors.  None of them could reach them.  Well, Tails could, but they looked too heavy to open without a firm footing on the ground, and Sally doubted that the handles were anything more than adornments to fancy the doors, which were quite impressive and majestic in their design.  
            _"A'right of the doors are three panels that are off-colored from the rest of the stone.  Place your palm on the lowest of them. This will unseal the doors. You must remember to reseal them once you have left. You must not leave them open for the enemy."_  
            What was this?  To place my palm on a panel would open the door?  What kind of game was being played?  Knuckles ran questions through his head, but did as told.  Without answering Sally's inquiry, he stepped into action.  To the right of the doors, Knuckles looked at the aged stone, but found nothing immediately adjacent.  But, beside him, on his right, there was the penultimate column of the eastern line.  Knuckles peered behind it.  Sure enough, he found three rectangular panels that were of a slightly different hue than the rest of the stone.  He placed his palm on the lowest.  It felt warm.  And then Knuckles heard a creaking behind him.  He quickly pulled his hand from the panel, and turned.  And then he beheld.  The aged yet beautiful doors were slowly opening.  The creaking sound they produced signaled that they mustn't have been used in a long time.  
            "What did you just do?" asked Sonic, aghast.  
            "I… don't know…"  
            "It's not important right now," said Sally.  "Let's go inside."  
            And they stepped inside.  
            All – or much – of that depth they had amassed in descending the long, shallow ramp into the crater, was given back now, as the chamber's ceiling towered above them distantly.  The chamber was clearly aged, but colossal.  But the beauty and intricacy that had been in the doors was no more than an illusion within the chamber.  The doors held within them much craftsmanship and splendor, but if one were to claim the same beauty were within this wide and expansive chamber, they would have been but fooled.  The chamber's design only created an illusion of being splendid through its incredible and daunting size.  But once you got past its marvelous spaciousness, it was remarkably plain and empty.  No beautiful designs adorned the walls or the many tall ledges and shelves.  There were no exquisite columns as there had been outside to demark the procession toward the doors.  The only elaborate part of the room was a small design that adorned the ceiling.  It depicted a body, a hand, and a tower.  A curving sword encircled the design and the sword was wrapped around in an oscillating design of thorned rose vines.  Apart from that lavish piece, which even itself still lacked the fine touch and craftsmanship as that of the magnificent Doors, the massive room was stark.  
            But the chamber's size, of course, often deceived people into marvel.  Laine fell into this guile, as upon stepping into the chamber, he uttered an astonished "Wow."    
            Knuckles said nothing.  But, inside, he was preoccupied with questions.  What was this place?  Why had his palm opened the doors?  And what was so important within this chamber that it must be kept from the enemy's grasp?  
            The voice interrupted his wondering and speculation.  __"Down the hall, go down the aisle third to your left."  
            Within, Knuckles was beginning to develop another anger.  Who was this person giving him all these orders?  And why should he listen?  Why did he have to let himself be held by strings?  Robotnik had done it to him once, and now he was again the puppet beneath another figure, one whom he had never even seen, one whose name he didn't even know.  Yet despite this building resentment, Knuckles complied, and strode down the wide hall, lined on either side by spiring towers of shelves, which rose up to his left and right as he walked down the broad hall.  He turned down the third aisle on the left.  
            _"Find box A-F-one-eight. It should be on your left, about three feet from the ground, and not very far from the hall."_  
Knuckles read the labels on the boxes stacked up on the shelves to his left.  "__A-F-1-5."  "__C-F-2-1."  "_R-T-2-7._"  "__A-F-1-6."  "_M-E-7._"  "__A-P-3."  Knuckles moved to the next shelf tower.  "_A-F-1-7_."  "__E-M-1-5."  "_A-F-1-8._"  That was it.  Knuckles reached up and slipped his hands – first one, then the other – under the crate.  It was of a fair size, twice Knuckles' width, and about half his height.  As Knuckles shifted the crate off the shelf, it was heavier than he had expected, and it lurched downwards in his grip before he got it under control.  
            "What is this place anyway?" asked Tails.  
            Knuckles crouched down and rested the crate on the ground.  "To be honest, I really don't know, kid."  
            "Then how'd you know to come here?" asked Sonic.  
            Sally hastily shuffled up beside Knuckles, who was knees-buckled atop the ground.  "So, that's the device, then?"  
            "Should be."  
            "Should we open it?"  
            "Watch me bust it open with my mad skills," said Sonic with a smirk.  
            Sally threw out her arm against his chest.  "You'll break it."  
            Knuckles didn't wait for orders.  He swung his fist at the crate and from his fist was birthed a hole.  Knuckles tore at it, enlarging the hole with more blows from his sharp-knuckled fist.  And when the hole was big enough, he lifted out the device inside.  It was padded in a soft material, and the crate accounted for a fair amount of weight, so the device itself, while by no means light, was noticeably not as heavy alone as when packaged in the crate.  There was an array of buttons and dials and displays which Knuckles lacked the savvy to recognize, but on a small aluminum plate, which, while showing age, obviously had been shielded from the elements by the scrupulous packaging, was etched: "_AF18, atomic ethermachine project, created under: Gaul, formal device name: The Contra-Ethermachine Atomic Field Nullifier, Third Prototype_."  What that meant in its entirety was absolutely nothing to Knuckles, but it said "Field Nullifier," so this must be the right device.  
            And the voice must be real.  
            Sally leaned over the crate.  Everything paused for a moment as she bent over in inspection of the device.  And then she stood erect again and said, "Let's get it out of here, then."  
            "I like that idea," said Sonic twitchingly.  "I'm itching to get moving."  
            "What if there's more SWATbots on the way back?" posed Laine.  
            "Let's put it back in the crate. At least it will have a little protection that way, though not much."  
            Laine picked up the device and lowered it back into the crate through the hole Knuckles had made; the hole now occupied almost the entire top face of the crate.  Knuckles, before Laine could ask him to help him with carrying the crate, turned and walked back down the hall.  Laine started to utter the solicitation, but stopped before the first word had left his mouth, and, with a grumble, proceeded to lift the crate himself.  
            As he labored his way back down the hallway toward the doors – in accompaniment with Sonic, Sally, and Tails – Espio was rushing after Knuckles.  
            "So, I guess that voice…"  
            Knuckles said nothing, only continued walking; he was beneath the arch now.  
            "Or…" said Espio after realizing that Knuckles wasn't going to respond, "…maybe the voice is you."  
            To himself, Knuckles thought, "__What the hell is he talking about?" but aloud, he said nothing.  Knuckles stopped walking now, though, to wait for the others.  
            "Maybe it's your memory. Maybe this is all stuff you used to know, but forgot."  
            "Espio, would you start making sense for me?"  
            "Never mind."  
            "_You must reseal the doors after you leave with the Nullifier._"  
            After a moment, Knuckles recognized that this order was in his own voice… or, at least, it was from his memory.  Is this what Espio meant?  Knuckles ran backwards through his memory and decided that even if the last order was simply his memory reminding him of what the voice had told him, the voice had told him everything in its own voice.  The voice was real.  The voice was real, Knuckles decided.  He didn't need the voice to tell him what he had already been told; for that, his memory would suffice for a reminder.  
            "Are you coming?"  Again, Laine was the one who lagged behind to wait for him, resting the crate on the ground for a moment.  
            "Hold on a second," Knuckles said.  He still had to carry out his memory's order, turning and hastily shuffling over to the penultimate column, placing his palm upon the lowest panel.  The Doors of Fallacy, with a creak, slowly swung closed.  Knuckles turned back to catch up with Laine.  


* * *

  
            "I wonder what happened to him. I hope he's alright."  
            "I dunno. How long's it been, anyway?"  
            "Who knows. Long time, probably."  
            "But how long? An' where would he go?"  
            "An' wattabout the others? 'Aven't seen _them _in even longer."  
            "What are we gonna do, anyways? Just stay here 'til we die?"  
            "Hope he finds us?"  
            A laugh.  "Finds us? Ha, hasn't it gotten through yer damn head yet that if he were looking, he's given up by now? Man, maybe if we wanna be found, we shouldn't be hiding. 'Course, if we were found, it probably wouldn't be by who we wanted it ta be. That's what we said then. An' what if he did find us? Then what? He could hide with us too? We ain't got a home to go to, remember?"  
            "Pessimism never gets anyone anywhere."  
            "Hell it doesn't! 'Least I don't believe in fairy tales, an' think some superhero's gonna come save us. I don't live in a dream."  
            "Then make one. Don't like to be optimistic? Well, my optimism wore out a long time ago, but at least I'm not crying apocalypse. Why don't we try an' find him?"  
            "'Cause it doesn't matter! We ain't got a home, and it's not like we can take it back."  
            "Well, if we're gonna die, might as well do something other than sit here and die here."  
            "See the world?"  A laugh.  
            "Better than waking up, goin' out to get some food, an' comin' back here."  
            "Fair enough."  
            "It's been a long time, man. I know there's that old rule, 'stay in one place if ya wanna be found,' but we've stayed long enough. Not gonna make it any more likely he'll find us jus' 'cause we stay here. Same chances no matter what we do."  
            "Well, maybe ya don't live in a fairy tale, then."  
            "Never said I did. That was your words, not mine."  


* * *

  
            "Priority One. Neutralize Sonic the Hedgehog."  
            "Looks like we've got company."  
            Sonic turned.  Sure enough, there was a squad of four SWATbots to his left.  
            "We have to protect the device," exclaimed Sally.  
            "Then protect it."  He picked up his feet.  Instantaneously, he closed the distance the SWATbots held.  Knuckles was already in pursuit of Sonic.  Laine lowered the create to the ground.  
            Stood in front of it.  
            Sonic tore through a SWATbot's gut.  
            Three left.  
            Sonic tore through another.  
            Two.  
            They fired.  One at Sonic.  The other at Laine.  
            Sonic tore it apart.  But its shot still lived.  Laine saw it coming.  The crate wouldn't move fast enough.  So Laine stood.  Took the shot.  
            The last SWATbot fired again.  It was still locked on Laine.  And then Laine saw it coming.  
            And he ducked out of the way.  
            The shot met the crate concussively, and the crate, half-wooden was aflame.  Burning.  
            Knuckles tore the last SWATbot apart.  
            Laine stood and saw.  
            Laine stood and could not react.  
            The crate was burning.  
            "Oh no!" cried Sally.  "Quick, get the device out of there!"  
            Laine was frozen, sans nursing the wound he had been given by the first shot… the one he had taken.  
            _"Remove the Nullifier from the flame, before it falls to waste!"_  
            Knuckles answered the call.  He plunged his hands into the flame, and lifted the device from its reflexive adversary.  The pain of the flame seared through his gloves and singed his skin, and he instinctively released his grasp upon the device for a split-second before gathering his gall and tightening his grip on the device, before releasing it with great relief to the soil.  And then Knuckles tried to nurse his hands, but realized, "with what can I?" and resigned to bearing the pain.  
            And all were strewn in disarray.  
            Sally said nothing.  Tails only looked up at Sonic inquisitively.  Laine nurtured his wound.  Knuckles stared at the ground.  
            So it was Sonic that broke the silence; 'twas Sonic that broke the calmless still.  
            And so he broke their immobility.  And everyone again moved.  The crate was left behind.  Knuckles, with his hands singed, carried the device.  It hurt, but what didn't?  


* * *

  
            They were thinking.  Rotor had figured that a large enough array of explosives detonated upon the tower's base should at least cripple it.  
            Again, the fighters would split into groups, and come at the tower from all sides.  In each group, one member would be the designated Armsbearer, instructed on the planting of the explosives they were to carry.  
            "How many explosives'll they carry?"  
            "Hm, actually, perhaps only one each. Perhaps there should be multiple Armsbearers in each group. As the saying goes, best not to put all your eggs in one basket. Or all your bombs in one place."  
            "D'ya really think the tower's gonna fall?"  
            "No. No, I don't. I just hope the tower is crippled."  
            "What about the barrier? If they've got that device, do we use it at the same time?"  
            "Same time? As what?"  
            "As we blow up the tower."  
            "I guess. Probably best to catch Robotnik by surprise all at once."  
  
            Somewhere nearby, the plane descended.  
            And somewhere distant, something else came awake.  


* * *

  
            And it was time to go again.  
            And they asked, "How do you work this thing?"  
            And they asked, "What if we're shot?"  
            Then you hope the others aren't shot too.  
            And they asked, "What if we're all shot?"  
            Then we've lost.  
            No.  The shot have lost.  But we can try again.  
            Just, our opportunities will never be quite as advantaged as they are this time.  He'll be expecting.  
  
            He was told how to make it work.  


* * *

  
            So again they were divided.  Four ways.  Three Armsbearers each.  
            Knuckles had the Field Nullifier.  He would expose the tower.  He knew how.  But only as a proxy would he pull it off.  
            And there they were.  Back where they had been before.  
            Back where they had failed.  
            Back where they had been shown the meaning of futility.  
            The meaning of "in vain."  
            But here they were.  
            Again.  And they would try again.  
            And the clones, birthed without life, went about their tasks of construction.  They paid no heed to the intruders on four sides.  The Armsbearers were ready.  The groups would charge as one, shielding the Armsbearers.  It was expected the clones (of nothing) would not ignore them once the barrier was down.  
            Knuckles was positioned outside the shield, about twenty meters from the edge of the lucid wall.  He remembered how.  
            The device came to life at Knuckles command.  Knuckles turned the dial as he had been instructed.  He read the screen, and, satisfied, yet oblivious to the readout's meaning, only measuring it up to what he had been told was correct or good, he pressed the button.  
            The device hummed.  
            And then it bled slowly.  
            And then it erupted, and its white radiance flitted out toward the clear bluish wall.  
            It met the wall.  And the white light again bled, spreading like a cancer and slowly taking more and more of the wall under its glow.  
            The clones were stirred.  
            As the Nullifying light spread farther from its origin, it crept from its center.  And as it crept away, it left an emptiness in its focus.  It had dissolved the wall.  And it was creeping, slowly unbinding the molecules from one another, slowly unbinding the field.  
            The clones fired through the fissure.  
            Knuckles left the Nullifier to its task, leaping through the hole of its creation.  He leapt again, now into the air, taking flight.  No, emulating flight.  He glided.  His dreadlocks fanned and caught the air.  And his fists stuck out ahead of him.  He plowed into one of the clones that faced him; it was knocked with a snap to the ground.  Knuckles dropped back to the ground, with a bend of the knees, and then stood again.  He swung his fist at the other SWATbot that was there, and it was felled.  At the tower's base, the clones seemed to continue their work.  But more were roused, and more came his way.  Knuckles looked back to where he had broken through the barrier.  It was still decaying, gradually, slowly.  
            The groups lay in wait for the nullification to reach them, so they could bound forth and fulfill their tasks.  It had almost reached the first.  But wasn't the plan to rush forth at once, all four groups in unison?  It didn't seem so viable anymore.  Did they really want to wait that long, for the barrier to have fallen all around?  It would take time.  Robotnik must be aware of their victory against his force field by now.  But if the first group went as soon as it had the chance, the plan would be out: the bombs there to see.  The SWATbots could shoot at them once planted, but they'd still detonate and injure the tower.  But then the plan would be out.  And the bombs would be expected with each subsequent group.  
            They should wait, and go at once.  It would lessen the time they held to their advantage.  The SWATbots might all have turned from their work by then, and hold more distance of aggression.  The SWATbots would doubtlessly attack once they got within melee range, but if they waited, perhaps they'd begin firing immediately.  But then why weren't they yet?  Robotnik must be aware by now.  
            Knuckles turned back and retreated to wait for everyone to make their advances.  
            The Nullifier appeared catalyzed.  Its breadth was spreading faster now.  It would still take time, but no longer did its growth creep.  Now it just expanded.  Why were the SWATbots still working?  Why weren't they investigating the decay of the luminous fence?  
  
            The cancerous light expanded its breadth, and wherever it passed was left dissolved.  
  
            Knuckles waited.  
  
            Then, he saw them charge.  The fence had been dissolved about halfway around now.  Three groups of the four now had an opening ahead.  And two groups charged.  The third, probably upon realizing the others were charging, followed suit.  The fourth was still facing a wall ahead.  Knuckles, too, charged then.  The SWATbots still did not immediately turn.  The groups charged, shielding the Armsbearers.  Half the SWATbots now turned and fired.  There was still enough distance between them and the intruders to cripple their accuracy, but when they fired again, at least one of the breathing shields was hit.  
            Knuckles was halfway there.  
            Another round.  At least one more fell.  
            Sonic, being in the fourth group, had now gone around the wall, and was now dashing, as a blur, toward the center.  He reached it resoundingly fast, breezing past the others who had already been well in transit, his wind causing a waft against their garments.  A SWATbot was torn through.  Another SWATbot fell.  And another.  Several now turned to fire on Sonic, but he was too fast, swerving invisibly around their shots.  A blur passed over another, and when it was gone, the SWATbot dropped to the ground.  
            A loud click.  
            Knuckles was closing the distance.  
            Sonic tore through another.  
            Another click, and a panel on the side of the tower snapped open.  Something poked out from within.  
            Another round was fired.  Someone was hit.  
            Sonic tore through another one.  
            Knuckles was almost there.  
            The protruding protrusion that had jutted out from the opened panel twitched.  It swiveled, as if an eyeball looking.  And then it flashed.  A loud, rhythmic din came again and again in quick succession, each iteration of the sound accompanied with, in tune with a flash at the thing poking its head out from the tower's flank.  Cries were heard.  Shields fell, but several managed to rise again.  The groups stopped in their tracks.  But then they kept going, and even the ones that fell but rose hobbled on.  And Knuckles was there, swinging his fist at a SWATbot, when the loud noise stopped.  Knuckles clobbered the SWATbot.  He looked back up.  The eyeball was staring straight ahead, and in it was building a light.  At its end was a glowing light that looked as if it were sucking its bright glow out from the air, sucking it in.  Its glow built.  Knuckles snapped his gaze back level, and swung at another SWATbot.  Sonic kept tearing through them.  They fired another round.  This time, nobody fell.  Knuckles clobbered another, and the groups would have reached the tower by now, had they not been slowed with each round fired against them, and the power of the droning noise that had suddenly silenced.  Why had it stopped?  
            Why, oh why had they asked?  Its glow exploded and pounded the ground as a mortar.  It pounded the group it faced, with the gazing glare of its muzzle.  And the blast enveloped more than half the group, including one Armsbearer, who luckily had guarded their bomb well in a steel container.  And all that it swathed fell and did not rise.  The group panicked.  The other two groups now reached the tower, and the shields fought the SWATbots as the Armsbearers planted their charge.  The muzzle up above swiveled and directed its gaze at the next group.  It sucked the light out of the air again.  The glow grew.  The group it had desecrated was in tears.  But pieces of it now moved again, leaving others behind, on their knees weeping, or standing in utter confusion and panic of instanity.  But those who moved reached the tower, and the two remaining Armsbearers carried out their task.  
            The fourth group was now in transit.  The barrier had dissolved before them.  They were on their way.  
            SWATbots fell to Sonic, completely oblivious in their death, even unseeing of their attacker.  Knuckles pounded another, and felt a pain in his side, turning to find another SWATbot beside him.  Before he could clobber it to the ground as he had the others, it swung its arm across his face and he fell, reeling, to the ground.  He tried to break his fall with his arms, but felt a sickening snap in his left wrist as its attached palm met the earth.  With that sickening pain, his left arm gave way, slipping out from its connection to the earth, and he stumbled to the ground completely.  
            The muzzle's glow exploded and pounded the ground as a mortar.  The ground it had faced was now retreating back away from the tower.  And it hit them in the back.  Its nauseating, blinding light enveloped the better part of them and all that it swathed fell and did not rise.  Cries of anguish echoed.  The ones in the front of the group, which were not swathed in the death, kept running and did not look back, except for one, who turned and kneeled, gaping.  
            The fourth group was on its way.  The murderous eye swiveled, and glared at them with its deathly stare.  It sucked the light from the air around it.  
            The SWATbot hovered in poise above Knuckles, and charged its weapon.  
            Its weapon charged, it armed and prepared to fire.  And then a hole burst through its chest, and, with a few pathetic sparks, it froze in paralysis for several seconds before dropping dead.  Sonic landed behind Knuckles, gave a smirk, and helped him to his feet before dashing off a blur again.  
            The fourth group was a bit more than halfway to the tower now.  
            As a ray of the sun's light glinted off the tip of the metallic muzzle, it appeared to give a sadistic wink.  And then it exploded.  It tore into the ground.  The front three – one an Armsbearer, the closest of the three to the center of the group – in the group were enveloped in its bloody light and fell.  They lay still upon the ground.  Tearfully, another member of the group dropped to their knees and embraced one of the fallen men, perhaps the Armsbearer, on the ground.  Others continued walking.  The shields from behind redistributed to provide cover for the two Armsbearers that remained.  One of the fallen men slowly lifted himself again.  His right leg could not support his weight and he fell again to the ground.  But he persisted, and tried again to stand.  Again, he couldn't bear the burden of his weight and again slumped back to the ground.  
            The eye narrowed its gaze upon the group again, and sucked in the light, as the core of radiance.  As the glow built, the muzzle's end with its blinding glow appeared as if an emulation of the sun, or an attempt at standing upon that lofty pedestal, that of the grand star and its marvel.  
            The group was almost there.  The fallen man tried again to stand and this time he succeeded.  He tried to move quickly, to catch up with the group again, but could only limp.  But he did hobble in trailing of the group.  
            The one group had been shot in the back.  
            But there was one group that had not yet seen the deathlight blinding in their eyes.  And it was not retreating.  It was moving toward the fourth group.  And it was almost there.  Two members of the unretreating group broke from the unit and moved to help the hobbling straggler.  
            The unretreaters joined the fourth group now, and together, they braced as the sun's young emulator exploded.  The unretreaters grabbed hold of however they could.  Some threw themselves to the ground.  But they could not save themselves from casualty.  Embraced, one young lady and her fiancé were enveloped in the bleeding energy.  Their tears ran down their faces as they held each other.  And then they were swathed in pain.  It didn't last long.  The eye became a turret again.  It fired off rounds in incessant succession.  More cries were heard.  Many felt pains in their legs as the bullets tore through.  And they were reduced to a limp.  But many kept walking.  And the Armsbearers reached their target.  One of them had to limp to reach it, and each step brought a sharp, jagged pain in their calf.  But they planted their payload.  
            And then everyone on the field ran as fast as they could.  
            The bullets kept coming.  Someone was shot in the back as they tried to flee, and with a ghastly scream, they fell.  They tried to rise to their feet again and escape, but they felt another shot in the back and slumped to the ground.  
            Knuckles retreated with them.  Sonic stayed and tore apart a few more SWATbots before passing everyone and waiting for them outside where the barrier had once been.  
            They ran until they heard the turret's bullets drop behind them, and finally trail off.  And they knew they had escaped.  Or so they thought.  
            A panel beneath the turret began to glow.  
            "Is everyone here?"  
            "Everyone that could make it. We had some casualties, but thankfully many of the injuries weren't fatal, and as long as we can get them some medical attention…"  
            "Our medical facility underground isn't big enough to take them all in!"  
            "We'll worry about that later."  
            The glowing panel spat forth and became connected with the ground through a long, thin, green beam of energy that it coughed up.  
            Slowly, the green beam crept forward.  Where it had originally struck the ground was no more than charred earth.  
            The beam's advance increased in speed.  
            Now it was hurtling toward the assembled group of fighters.  
            "Shit!"  
            It would reach them soon, and they couldn't outrun it.  It was too fast.  
            Sally triggered the detonation.  
            With a roar, the payloads were set off, and the tower's hull was penetrated.  The recoil of the explosion careened up the tower.  
            "You didn't tell me about this! The emerald's in there! You didn't tell me you were gonna blow it up!"  
            The jade beam, too, was careening.  It was almost to them.  
            The shattering wave of the explosion rushed up the tower.  
            And when the fighters thought it was all over, as the emerald ray would reach them in seconds, the disjointing wave hit the glowing panel, and the beam wavered.  The wave of the detonation surged up through the panel, and the beam faltered, with a flash, and then died.  
            Sally breathed a sigh of relief.  
            The tower's hull was visibly damaged, and plates of metal had been heaved off the skin of the tower in the explosion; others were breached.  And something had been harmed.  
            But it still stood.  
            They had done all they could for now.  Perhaps they had delayed something, crippled something.  Perhaps it was only the inevitable that they had delayed.  
_


	15. Fourteen

**14  
**

  
            "Doctor Robotnik, the hedgehog and his forces have broken through our force field."  
            "I _know that, Snively. Do you think me __blind?"  
            "They've inflicted damage upon the Grand Tower, sir."  
            "I __know, Snively. How __much damage?"  
            "They've just crippled the Anselan Ray, sir. The hull has sustained significant damage, but can be repaired."  
            "What of the satellite, Snively?"  
            "The satellite is online, sir. The Grand Tower's conduit will be functional within hours, sir. It was only damaged slightly in the explosion. The explosion damaged primarily the hull; the conduit being in the core was only slightly jarred, sir."  
            "Excellent, Snively. It is time to put to use that location which the defector was so kind to reveal to us. Let's remove them from the map."  
            "Yes, sir. Right away, sir."  


* * *

  
            "I've made some new discoveries, but first, I have some questions."  
            "Alright."  
            "How did you get past the force field?"  
            "The echidna. He led us to some nullifying device."  
            "Nullifying device?"  
            "It was in some ancient ruins. The doors were _something else_. I didn't get a good look at it. Sally did; you should ask her."  
            "I think I will. But where were these ruins?"  
            "The Floating Island."  
            "Hm."  
            "I'll tell Sally to come here if ya wanna talk ta her."  
            "Can you have the echidna come too? I'd like to talk to him."  
            "Well, okay."  
            "Now it's my turn to spill the beans. I've identified what I believe to be a empyreal transmitter/receiver in the Grand Tower's core."  
            "Say again? What's it mean?"  
            "Why else would Robotnik have a transmitter/receiver designed for communication of such great distance? The transmissions it is capable of sending and receiving are more than five times the circumference of the planet. Why would he need to be able to send a transmission around the world five times? There exists no reason! I could only come to two conclusions: that Robotnik has redefined overkill, or that Robotnik is not intending his transmissions to stay within Mobius at all!"  
            "What are you getting at?"  
            "That Robotnik needs to communicate with something of his creation that is __outside of Mobius."  
            "I don't get it."  
            "I don't get it completely myself, either, but it can't be a good thing."  


* * *

  
            It came as an avalanche.  And without warning.  
            There were a few left here… those not strong enough to fight… mothers with children to attend to.  And everything was torn away.  
            The roof caved in and everything was upon them.  Panicking, screaming, but nothing could save them.  They were trapped beneath the wreckage of their own place, and bleeding.  Those that had stayed behind were beneath the crumbling structures and caving snow.  The white snow was red.  


* * *

  
            "It was called the Field Nullifier… something about Project Ethermachine. The ruins were up in the north part of the island."  
            "Ethermachine?"  
            "I think so. Why? Does it mean something to you?"  
            "No. No, it doesn't. It just caught my attention is all. Interesting…"  
            "The creator's name was Gaul."  
            "Gaul… nope, the name doesn't strike a chord."  


* * *

  
            "The location has been desecrated, sir."  
            "Good, good. Let's see if they fall apart now, Snively. And send a patrol to investigate, and take any survivors for roboticization."  
            "I'll get right on it, sir."  


* * *

  
            The news came.  It came as an avalanche.  And… without warning?  
            "Ilus… he got Ilus! I told you, you goddamn bastards! I told you he'd attack us! You goddamned assholes! You god…damned…"  
            "It's gone."  
            "That bastard! You bastards! I told you, you goddamned idiots!"  
            "But… how?"  
            "That traitor ratted us out. I told you he would!"  
            "Well, I guess you're not going to fight anymore?"  
            "Shut up! Can't you just shut up about your little war for once?! Can't you ever talk about something else?!"  
            "…"  
            "Gah! I hate you! I want so much to throw it all back in your face, but… I'm gonna – no, I've _gotta_ keep fighting with you. I have to pay back Robotnik and the traitor for what they've done."  


* * *

  
            "This 'Field Nullifier:' what is it, exactly?"  
            "It's that machine."  
            "Yes, but how does it work?"  
            "Hell if I know. I didn't build it."  
            "Well, those ruins… do you know who built them?"  
            "No."  
            "What do you know about the ruins? You knew how to get to them, so you must know something, correct?"  
            "I don't know anything."  
            "Then how did you know where the ruins were?"  
            "I didn't."  
            "I'm afraid you've lost me there. Say again?"  
            "I was told how to get there. I just followed directions."  
            "Ah. So who was it that told you, then?"  
            "I don't know."  
            "I'm afraid an old man like me gets lost easily. What was that?"  
            "I don't know who told me."  
            "Well, you've confused me all right."  
            "You and me both."  
            "You're the guardian, correct? Can you tell me what you know about the Floating Island, then?"  
            "All I know is that a Chaos Emerald is supposed to be lifting it in the sky."  
            "What do you mean? Are you being a cynic?"  
            "Nobody ever tells me anything. I don't know anything. All I know is what I'm told."  
            "Ah, I think I'm beginning to see."  
            "I envy you then. I've been blind for a long time."  
            Before Chuck could raise an eyebrow, Knuckles added, "Figuratively. Not literally."  
            Chuck managed to crack a smile at that.  "Well, were there any other similar devices where the Nullifier came from?"  
            "There were a lot of crates. I mean a _lot_. I don't have the slightest clue what they are."  
            "Then how'd you know which one was the Nullifier?"  
            "I said, somebody told me. And before you ask again, I already said I __don't know who they are."  
            "What does that _mean_ exactly? My wheels don't turn quite like they used to, I suppose."  
            "They talk to me through my head. There, I said it. Now are you gonna think me loony like Espio does, huh?"  
            Uncle Chuck smirked.  "No, I'm not going to call you 'loony.' I'm, in fact, rather intrigued. Unless, of course, you're just pulling the wool over my eyes. But if you're telling the truth, I'm inclined to believe it, crazy as it may sound, since, after all, it did pick out the Nullifier from all those crates, did it not?"  
            "Yeah… it did."  
            "Perhaps those other devices could be of use, then."  
            "But we don't have any idea what they are."  
            "But the man in your head might."  
            "If I ask him to tell me what they all are – well, and if he actually listens – we're gonna be here a long time waiting for him to list off what's in all those crates. And I won't even know what he's talking about. He'll be like, 'in crate 8276428, there's a neuro-quantum-electro-physio-quadra universe amplifier with a big dose of red blood cells,' and I'll be like, 'oh, so that thing can help me brush my teeth?'"  
            Uncle Chuck smiled, and then frowned.  "Well, we've got to find some way to defeat Robotnik's tower."  
            "The emerald's in there, though. You have to get the emerald out first."  
            "I didn't even think of that," pondered Uncle Chuck, "but it probably is. If we can disable the tower from the inside instead of blowing it up, the emerald should be safe. I don't think we'll have much success in blowing it up anyway."  A mischievous smirk passed over Uncle Chuck's lips.  "…unless there's some really big guns in one of those crates."  
            Knuckles didn't catch the joking expression on Uncle Chuck's face and responded in full seriousness.  "I said, we can't blow it up with the emerald in there!"  
            "I know. I wasn't being serious. Though if we can get the emerald out first, some big guns would really come in handy."  
            "I got yer big guns right here."  Knuckles flexed.  
            Chuck ignored him.  "I think our best approach is to fight it from inside. Of course, we have to figure out how to get in. Tell Sally, and tell her I'll work on getting some schematics, but I can't guarantee anything."  
  
            __"So, you desire to get inside the construct, do you?"  
            The voice came suddenly; Knuckles, not expecting it, was taken aback.  He quickly bid farewell to Uncle Chuck and stepped outside.  
            "What? Don't _you_ want me to?"  
            __"To be perfectly honest, I have little stake in the fate of Julian's war. I have much more concern with the retrieval of the jewel."  
"Who the hell are you? Why do you have stake in anything? You're just a damn voice!"  
            __"Every voice has a host. Do you want to get inside the construct or not? If I help you get inside, you must vow to make it your obligation to rescue the jewel."  
            "If you help me? Man, I don't care! It's those damn warrior guys – the hedgehog and them – who give a damn about this. All I ever joined them for was to help get me my friends back, and they sure as hell weren't too dedicated to that. Look, I'll try to get the emerald. I don't know what I'm supposed to do. At least the emerald is something I can relate to. So I'll do it; whatever. I don't care about your damn wagers. I don't care about saving the world. I just want my home back."  
            __"The only way to get your home back is to restore the jewel to its place. That is the only way the City will have a landing place."  
"What the hell are you talking about?"  
            _"Nothing.___ But believe me; if you want your home back, you indeed have a stake in the jewel."  
            "God, I am such a puppet! Following your every whim!"  
            __"It is your choice whether you want to listen or not. But that does not stop me from imploring you to make the choice you need to make."  
            "Goddamn strings. String me up by the wrists for all I care! I know nothing! All I know is what I'm told. So I have no choice. The strings are yours, faceless; hold me up, arms first."  
            __"The Colossus Cannon III should be able to breach the side of the construct. Return to the Doors of Fallacy and I will identify it for you. This time, in fact, there should be little enemy presence, as Julian's loss at the construct had to solicit replacements from the __Island__."  
            "Back and forth. Why don't you tell me this stuff all at once? You seem to know all the important shit over there; why don'tchu come on down here and fire this cannon yourself?"  
            The voice sounded briefly as if perhaps muffling a chuckle.  Whatever this sound was, it was brief and soon the speech resumed.  __"If only it were that easy. I am not a god, Kouken-san."  
            "Then what are you?"  
            __"Not now."  
            "Then when, you damn ass?!"  
            _"In time.___ That is all."  


* * *

  
            So Knuckles told Sally what Uncle Chuck had told him.  
  
            Then he had Tails fly him to the ruins.  
  
            And now, Tails at his side, he again stood before the Doors of Fallacy.  Their many intricate weaving designs were stunning, and the doors' towering size was daunting.  Knuckles found himself frozen in place before their marvel.  
            Tails broke the awe-struck silence: "Are we just gonna stand here?"  
            Knuckles shook his head violently, and walked over to the panel behind the penultimate column, placing his palm on it as he had done before.  The Doors came open.  
            _"B-W-four-six.___ Fifth aisle on the right, about halfway down, toward the bottom."  
            Knuckles strode slowly down the hall, Tails tagging behind him.  
            "So, what __is this place anyway, Knuckles?"  
            "Hmph. Wish I knew."  Knuckles rolled his eyes, in his mind pointing the gesture at the host of the puppeteer voice.  
            "Whaddayamean? You must know this place. You're the only one who knew it was here."  
            Knuckles stopped walking.  "Look, kid, I told you the last time we were here that I didn't know! I've been in the dark all my life. I really have no idea about anything. I know __nothing, kid; alright? I wish I did, kid; I really do; I really wish I could tell you where the hell we are but I just don't know. I'm sorry."  
            He resumed his advance down the hall.  
            Suddenly, the voice came again:  
            __"The place you're standing in is the Grand Conservatory, Kouken-san."  
            "So you're actually filling me in for once?"  
            __"This is the ruins of the technology of the echidna civilization. When the echidnas abandoned their technology after the fall of the dark tower atop the madman, they buried it here. They couldn't bring themselves to destroy it, so they sealed it away, vowing never to use it again. This Conservatory is a dark tribute to the technology that was their bane. Their fallacy."  
            "I think I'm missing the big picture. What's the fall of the dark tower?"  
            __"So you want to be taught some history?"  
            "Not really."  
            __"Isn't that what you just asked for? Didn't you want me not to keep you in the dark? I'm offering a history lesson; will you take it or not?"  
            "Alright, alright; I'm interested."  
            __"Do you remember the story of the echidna scientists, Edmund and Dimitri? They put forth a proposal that would lower the Floating Island back to the earth by means of gradually absorbing the Chaos Emeralds' powers into a siphon. Their proposal was shot down by the council of the scientific elite, but Dimitri would not accept the decision. He went ahead with it anyway, absorbed the emeralds' power too fast, and thus caused all but one of the emeralds to explode; all this energy was absorbed into him, not the siphon as planned. You must remember thus far, no? Mad with power, he turned against those who had attempted to stifle his 'genius,' and proclaimed that he would either control the world or destroy it. He erected a black tower to stand as a symbol of his might, but when the tower collapsed, he was crushed beneath it. After that, the echidnas vowed to abandon technology, after witnessing this dark example of technology as their bane, and buried Relics of their technology here in the Grand Conservatory, which they sealed behind the Doors of Fallacy."  
            Knuckles felt a tugging on his arm.  Tails, of course, looking at him curiously like he was from another planet.  "What are you doing?"  Tails cocked his head at Knuckles, as if Knuckles had a lampshade on his head.  
            Knuckles chuckled.  "I'm thinking. Hey, you wanted to know what this place was, right? Well, it's called the Grand Conservatory."  
            "I thought you said you didn't know."  
            "Never mind that. I didn't. But I do now. Just hold yer horses, alright?"  
            Knuckles spoke to the voice now: "Why could I open the Doors of Fallacy?"  
            Tails replied "I don't know," with a shrug of the shoulders, thinking Knuckles was talking to him.  
            __"For you are Koukennin. The Doors were designed as such."  
"All that means to me is a lot of nothing."  
            __"Do you feel more 'at ease' now? Now that I've answered some questions for you?"  
            "But you haven't answered the ones I want answered most. Like, 'Who are you?' and 'Why are you talking to me?'"  
            __"I've already told you why I'm talking to you. You just haven't been listening."  
            "Whatever. I still have a lot of questions for you to answer."  
            __"They can come another time. Now, the Cannon. B-W-four-six."  
            Knuckles did, in fact, feel a bit less tense about listening to the voice now that it had opened up a bit.  It was a start.  He could at least repay it.  So he did as it said.  He made his way to the fourth hallway on the right, halfway down, and read the labels on the crates at the bottom."  
            __AF27.  V7.  BW46.  That was it.  Knuckles tried to take it all in.  All these crates contained relics of his ancestors' technology?  All these crates.  
            Knuckles slid the BW46 crate to the floor, and bashed it open with his fist.  He found a small steel plate similar to the aluminum plate on the Nullifier.  It read, "_BW46, charge beam weaponry, formal device name: The Colossus Beam Cannon III (prototype 2), created under: Zakke_".  This was it.  
            "Is there anything else I need here before I go?"  
            __"Are you asking me to predict the future? I know not what you will need in the coming times."  
            Knuckles gritted his teeth angrily at this response, but said nothing.  
            Knuckles lifted the crate and signaled to Tails.  Tails preceded him back to the plane; Knuckles set the crate down outside for a moment as he went to reseal the doors.  


* * *

  
            "Alright, so we'll blast a hole in the side of the tower."  
            "And then I'll go in."  
            "Alone?"  
            "I can outrun those guns 'Buttnik's got on the tower."  
            "But…"  
            "C'mon, Sal. You know it's the best way…"  
            "I guess…"  
            "Alright; well, what am I doing once I get inside?"  
            "If you can find the emerald, get it out. If not, just try to destroy the tower."  
            "Destroy the tower? And how am I supposed to do that?"  
            "I don't know."  
            "Well, if you don't know, I wouldn't count on me knowin'."  
            "Well, find the emerald if you can, then. If we figure out how to disable or destroy the tower from inside, we'll radio you."   
  
            Tails returned.  Knuckles came in behind him.  
            "So, did you get it?"  
            Knuckles didn't realize it was he that was being addressed, and neither said anything nor made eye contact.  
            "Knuckles?"  
            His gaze snapped back.  "Huh?"  
            "Did you get it? The thing that's supposed to be able to blow a hole in the tower?"  
            "Oh, yeah. I got it."  The crate was on the surface.  
            "Then we're set to go. Knuckles, you blow a hole in the side of the tower, and then Sonic will go in. Hopefully he'll find the emerald, since we don't have a plan B to destroy the tower from the inside."  
            "What about all the others?"  
            "They should do whatever they can to hassle the SWATbots while Sonic enters the tower alone."  
            "I'm ready."  


* * *

  
            Knuckles stood outside of the tower, crouched on the ground with the Colossus Cannon before him.  As before, he had been instructed in how to use it.  He clicked it on, and set to work in aligning it with the tower.  This kind of work, which required concentration and patience, was not his kind of thing.  He was a man of action, and never would have chosen this task if he had been given a choice.  Of course, instructing someone else on its usage would take just as much time as just using it himself, and would waste time.  So here he was.  He peered into the crosshairs, and tried to center the slab of wall at the base of the tower which he wanted to eradicate.  The unfortunate part of this device was that it required hours to charge the massive amount energy required to discharge a beam charge, and the fact that the discharge let off tons of heat as a byproduct.  If he had some way to feed it the power it needed, it would still need to cool off, and refusing it this necessity and firing anyway would cause it to overheat and die.  So, he had only one shot.  Its powerful capacitors had managed to retain about half their energy for all that time in storage, which was incredible; he had been required to turn the device on for it to recharge the other half of the energy it had lost over years and years and years.  
            There we go.  He had the slab in the crosshairs.  He nodded to Sonic.  
            Sonic caught the gesture, and remarked, "I'm ready to zoom on in there 'soon as you clear the way."  
            Knuckles nodded again, and rechecked the knobs he had been told to adjust.  Finding them all in their places, he ordered the discharge.  
            A fiery-red beam shot out from the front of the bulky cannon's muzzle, which was of great diameter – perhaps two feet in breadth.  Several SWATbots amassed around its base, working to repair the damage caused by the previous attack, were caught in the beam as it struck its target.  
            At Knuckles' end, he could appreciate the beam's size, but as he saw it against the tower, it made him appreciate how large the tower really was.  The beam was but a small spot on the tower's monolithic figure.  Knuckles had, perhaps naïvely, imagined the cannon tearing off a whole side of the tower's base, creating a hole he could walk through.  But he underestimated the tower's size, even after standing up against it just before.  The tower was indeed enormous, not only in height, but in base diameter as well.  Yet its width at the base, at about fifty-five meters, about 180 feet, in diameter, was dwarfed when compared to its height, giving the tower the illusion of being thin.  It was not.  It was simply a matter of proportions.  
            The beam maintained, a long red line of burning.  
            When it finally subsided, there was a small hole on the side of the tower.  It looked so tiny from this distance.  But it should be big enough for Sonic to crawl through.  
            "Good job, Knux. Well, guess it's my turn now."  Sonic dashed off with blinding speed.  A blur streaked across the arid terrain.  It was at the base of the tower within seconds.  
            Sonic ducked into the hole, and, reaching his arms through to the other side, gripping them against the wall, pulled himself through.  
            He tumbled into a dark chamber.  Turning around, he saw the bright white imperfect circle that was the hole he had come into.  Here, there was no lighting.  What he could see of the place he had fallen into was illuminated only by the light that came in through the unnatural hole.  Sonic acknowledged that the hole was an anomaly, and wondered if it was normally pitch black in here.  
            Sonic could, though only barely, see the far wall.  It was far away.  
            Sonic gazed to his right and, much to his surprise, noticed a stairwell.  
            Why was there a stairwell if nobody ever came in here?  Perhaps there was a way in somewhere further up, but then why would there be no light in here?  Maybe there was lighting, but it was only turned on when needed.  
            Sonic took off at blazing speed towards, and then up, the stairwell.  He stopped on the next floor.  It was darker here, but, gazing up, Sonic caught sight of a slight white glow up above, in a corner of the blackness that Sonic couldn't discern as being floor or ceiling or wall or emptiness.  It was incredibly hard to see his surroundings here, so Sonic for once decided to move slowly.  His eyes slowly began to adjust, and his surroundings became clearer.  In the center of the tower, rising vertically was a thick glass column.  There was a railing several feet from Sonic, an overhang to look down upon the lower floor.  The dull walls were blackened by the ubiquitous shadows.  Naked chains dangled from the ceiling; perhaps they were once used in construction, and now abandoned.  Yet it seemed that the construction took place from the outside.  Perhaps this was not always the case.  Sonic was never one to take in the environs, however; he spotted another stairwell and immediately ceased his search, dashing without hesitation toward and upward.  
            On the next level, there was substantially more light.  Had Sonic leisurely strolled up the stairwell, he would have seen the ceiling yield the light, as its gap through which the stairwell reached opened up and revealed the light above.  Yet, with his blinding speed, there simply was the dark of the previous floor followed instantly by the light of this floor.  Sonic looked up, and saw the source of the light: the sun.  The floor he now stood on spanned most of the tower's lateral space.  Above, the floors and ceilings were thinner and more scattered, smaller and more numerous.  And there was more emptiness between them.  And through this emptiness, Sonic saw the open head of the tower, the incomplete stump of the neck, the neck that was encircled by the necklace that delimited the tower's present construct.  Through this open ceiling, ascribed to the extent of the construction hitherto, the sun's light came in.  It was far away, though, and it was filtered through many crossed catwalks and rafters.  So the light that suffused Sonic's level was sparse and dodgy.  It was a substantial difference from the darkness below, though, where Sonic could only barely make out the gray objects on the black backdrop, through focusing.  
            But now there was enough light to see clearly.  Sonic wasted no time in dashing up the next stairwell, across the catwalk, and up the next stairwell.  The blue blur flashed across another catwalk, and another, and up another stairwell.  Sonic was wasting no time in scaling the tower as quickly as possible.  He wasn't one for taking anything slowly.  
            Sonic climbed higher and higher, and as he did, the light became more and more pervasive, less and less filtered, and the sky above became more and more clear as the sky-obscuring catwalks and rafters dropped below Sonic's locus.  
            Sonic didn't see the shadows descending beneath him, nor did he see the dark clouds drift into the air over the unintentional skylight.  He only saw a blur, and the path up.  
            And finally, he reached the halo.  Sonic stopped.  The tower had grown narrower as it climbed higher into the sky.  Yet, at this one point, it seemed to shoot outward again, if only for a brief moment.  The walls had closed in as they rose up, but here, for the height of one story, it bulged out again like an inverse torus, as if there was a great invisible ring that Sonic stood in, and it was pushing at the walls of the tower, trying to get out.  This was the tower's halo; he had seen it from the outside.  Sonic recalled the images in his head, which he had captured of the tower when first confronted with it futilely.  He remembered now, though he had to struggle to recall, that the tower had indeed bulged out at the point where the halo was.  But this bulge was not the ring itself.  The ring was disconnected from the tower – doubtlessly connected by some steel conduits which Sonic couldn't see from the base, looking up – but not of the same structure, distinctly apart from the tower.  This bulge Sonic was, in a sense, inside of, was not the halo itself.  The halo encircled this bulge in the tower's walls.  
            Sonic took a breath from this recollecting assessment, and snapped his head over to the tower's center.  Sonic was still at the head of the stairwell.  At the center of the tower was the glass column.  However, on this level, the glass column ran through a rounded-yet-square steel hub, which was well large enough to perhaps be a control room of sorts; it was definitely big enough to house faculty.  From the stairwell's head, a catwalk lead to a tunnel; the tunnel connected, in a sense, the catwalk to the hub, like an airport boarding passage, connecting the terminal gate to the aircraft.  The glass column ran right through the hub, spanning out from the bottom of the hub, and continuing out of the top.  Sonic suspected the hub was built around the glass column, and that the column would be visible at the center of the hub.  Perhaps the hub was built to enclose the column… no, that couldn't be it; why, after all, would this one section of the column, on this one level, be enclosed and the rest not?  
            Sonic thought little of it, but decided to check inside.  After all, the hub __could be a control center, in which case perhaps Sally had come up with a way for him to disable – or destroy – the tower from it.  Sonic darted down the catwalk and into the tunnel.  The tunnel was somewhat cramped; Sonic's breathing echoed off its walls.  Sonic slowed his pace and continued ahead.  As he neared the end of the tunnel, he saw that there was no door at the end of the tunnel; it connected directly into the hub.  Sonic peered ahead.  He saw the glass column, as he had expected, running through the center of the hub.  
            Sonic stepped forward.  Within a few feet of the end of the tunnel's hall, he noticed something foreign within the white-saturated glass.  Sonic took another step forward to try and see what it was.  
            The doorway without a door yielded a snap.  
            Glass bars came down asudden.  
            Sonic hastily closed the short gap remaining to the hub, and felt the glass bars that had appeared in the doorway.  He gripped his hands around the vertical bars, and then he saw: the object he had seen in the glass column: it was the Chaos Emerald.  
            Sonic wasted no time.  He didn't even stop to assess the event which had just occurred.  He simply ducked into a ball and spun at the bars.  
            Sonic found himself on the floor.  He could not understand what had happened.  He stood up, to realize that the bars were still there.  
            What was going on?  
            Why had he not cut through the feeble glass bars with his spin?  It had never failed him before.  
            He ducked into a ball again, and again spun at the bars.  
            Again he found himself on the ground, the bars still standing, and realized that he was not seeing things.  
            He was still behind the bars.  
            Suddenly, laughter pervaded the hall, echoing off its narrow walls.  Sonic heard another snap behind him, turning around to find another set of bars behind him.  
            __"Having fun, hedgehog?"  
The voice was unmistakably Robotnik's.  Robotnik's laughter continued, amplifying itself as it bounced back and forth off the close walls of the tunnel.  
            Sonic, infuriated – and panicked – spun again at the bars ahead of him.  Again he fell back to the floor and the bars remained.  
            _"Diamond glass.___ I've been expecting you, hedgehog."  
            Doctor Robotnik's figure appeared from within the core, slowly moving into the frame behind bars.  
            "Did you enjoy gawking at my emerald, hedgehog? I'm afraid, however, that this is not a museum. Trespassers must be punished justly."  
            "Robuttnik, you're gonna have to open these bars sooner or later, and then I'll kick your ass!"  
            Robotnik laughed.  "Don't worry, hedgehog; I'll be raising these bars soon… to lift out your corpse!"  Robotnik's gaze shifted off of Sonic and onto the space to his right.  He signaled.  
            Within moments, another familiar figure appeared within the barred frame.  
            Caero.  
            "Kill him."  
            Caero raised a gun.  As if to demonstrate that he was capable of shooting Sonic, he angled the barrel slightly upward, and fired a bullet through the gaps between the bars.  It hit the ceiling above Sonic's head.  
            Caero leveled the barrel.  "I'm sorry, Sonic…" Caero was visibly shaken.  His lips quivered as he uttered these words.  
            "Is this what you want? To work for Robuttnik? To let him destroy the world?"  
            Robotnik laughed from behind Sonic.  "I'm flattered, hedgehog."  He turned to Caero.  "Now kill him!"  
            "Do you really want this, Caero? I know you! You're a good person. You can't let Robotnik get to you! He doesn't care about you! He doesn't care!"  
            "I'm afraid," smiled Robotnik, "that your friend here is a bit more intelligent than you. He knows when to give up. He knows the winners from the losers. You never could learn, that; could you, hedgehog? You just never knew when you were __beaten; __did you, hedgehog? Well, now it's too late. I've __won now, hedgehog. You were an admirable adversary, but all things must come to an _end_."  Robotnik barked at Caero again: "Now kill him! Kill him now!"  
            Caero's hand was shaking as he moved his finger to the trigger.  
            And turned.  
            "No."  
            Caero's shaking hand fidgeted with the gun.  
            It was now aimed at Robotnik.  
            Robotnik's arm came quickly, clubbing Caero, knocking the gun from his hand.  
            Caero was panicked now, nervously looking for an escape.  But there was none.  
            Robotnik clubbed Caero again, and this time, he was sent to the ground.  Panicked, Caero scampered backward, and, looking up, found the lever on the wall.  Quickly, he reached and pulled it.  Sonic heard the bars snap back up behind him.  But he couldn't go.  "Caero!" Sonic gripped the bars in front of him.  
            "Go, Sonic. 'Fore 'Botnik closes 'em again!"  
            Robotnik reached down and grabbed Caero by the throat.  
            "I won't forget!" yelled Sonic.  
            Robotnik threw Caero to the ground, and Caero winced, but was too panicked to feel any pain.  
            Robotnik pushed the lever, gruff.  But Sonic was already gone.  
            Angry, Robotnik kicked Caero in the gut as he lay on the floor.  "How dare you, insolent fool? I almost thought for a while that you had an ounce of brains! It appears I was wrong. You could have kept your wretched life."  
            "'Fya wanna  kill Sonic, yer gonna hafta do it yerself, ya dirty bastard."  
            Robotnik laughed.  "Ah, but you see, the most beautiful part of this whole occasion is that I'll have you fight Sonic, whether you _want _to or not. Stupid fool. I gave you a future, and you threw it away! That's the problem with living, organic beings: they simply can't be trusted like machines can."  
            "No damned robot can replace a person."  
            "Perhaps not, but it can come close enough. And robots never betray me."  
            "What are ya gonna do when ya finally win?! There ain't gonna be anyone left! You'll be all alone! Who are ya gonna brag to? Yourself?"  
            Robotnik scoffed, and then kicked Caero in the gut again.  "Insolent fool, once I enlighten everyone on this planet… and once I destroy life… I can create life anew! And they will all owe their lives to me! I will rule over them all, and all life will be my child. They will bow down to me, and the previous generation will enforce my supreme word. You simply lack the boldness to envision as I do! You can't think _big _like I can; you have a single-track mind… I have resolution! I have the scope of vision that everyone else lacked. And that is why I rose above them!"  
            "All ya've got is a god complex."  
            "I have visions of greatness. One of such feeble mind can hardly hope to grasp their splendor or their genius. It is a pity you won't be truly sentient enough to appreciate my vision when it comes to full fruition. I had use for you before that, pitiful peon, and you have betrayed my trust."  
            "Ya don't deserve it. Sonic was right."  
            "I care not about your sentiments, or your respect anymore, for I will soon have it in spades, my friend. You will be roboticized before the sun's next setting. How will it feel, to be trapped inside a shell with no way out, with no way to control your own body?"  Robotnik laughed maniacally.  
  
            No way out.  
_


	16. Fifteen

**15  
**

  
                Princess Sally paced nervously in the clearing as she waited for news of Sonic's return.  She hadn't heard from him since he had left, and was uninformed of the status of his mission.  
            If Sonic had failed in getting the emerald, all Sally could hope for was that Uncle Chuck would succeed in obtaining schematics of the tower, that she might be able to contrive another plan.  Now, of course, she was waiting on Sonic, hoping it would all be over when he returned.  
            Of course, Sally realized, that it would be impossible for it to all be over with Sonic's return.  Even if Sonic did carry the emerald and a wide grin as he raced back to meet her, they would still have no home.  The task of digging to the future site of the new Knothole had been put on hold as the uncertainty and fear filled the air with the discovery of Robotnik's looming tower.  And even once they surfaced, the rebuilding of Knothole would be a long task indeed.  Sally closed her eyes and shook her head violently, raising her index fingers to her temples.  It would do no good to worry about that now, she decided.  It will come later.  
            The wind gusted past Sally, fluttering her open vest in the air.  As the breeze drifted by, Sally began to pace again.  However, her anxious wait would be short-lived from this point, as Bunnie and Antoine quickly joined her in the clearing.  
            "Whatcha doin', Sally-girl?"  
            "Bonjour, my princess. What are you doing out here all alone?"  
            "Just waiting for Sonic…"  
            "Well, so are we, but we're not –" Bunnie was cut off as Sonic quickly arrived in a loud, whining blur.  
            "Well, Sonique? Did you do it?"  
            "Sorry, guys… I failed."  
            "What happened, sugah-hog?"  
            "I saw the emerald, but then Robotnik showed up, and headed me off with some glass bars. Diamond glass, I think he said they were. Whatever they were, I couldn't cut through 'em. I'd probably be dead if Caero didn't save me."  
            "Caero?! The traitor?!"  
            "He turned his gun on Robotnik, and opened the bars for me, so I could escape. But he was trapped in there with Robotnik. I don't know what happened to him. Damnit, I would have saved him, but he just opened the back bars. The bars between me and him were still there."  Sonic paused for a moment, and then burst out, "Damnit, I should have done something!"  
            "There wasn't anything you could do," said Sally.  
            "I've gotta go back and save him."  
            "But, he is a traitor!" cried Antoine.  
            "He saved my life, Ant. He turned on Robotnik."  
            "I don't know… what if he turns on us again?" asked Sally tentatively.  
            "Don't worry, Sal. Trust me."  
            "He's prob'ly bein' taken back ta the 'tropolis," said Bunnie.  
            "I have to go there, then," said Sonic frankly.  
            After a few seconds of hesitation, Sally stuttered, "I'll… go with you, then."  
            Antoine stepped forward.  "Then I must be going to protect my princess from zee traitor!"  
            "I'm not carrying you too, Ant," stated Sonic.  
            Antoine crossed his arms and frowned.  
            "Good luck, sugah!" said Bunnie with a half-smile.  
            "Let's do it to it," said Sonic, turning to Sally, as they locked hands, and were off.  


* * *

  
            Sonic arrived in Robotropolis, Sally in tow, to find the city near-deserted, as before.  He slowed to a stop and brought Sally to her feet from his arms.  
            It was somewhat eerie, seeing Robotropolis so empty.  It was almost alluring, tempting.  As if it was inviting them in.  
            The dry wind gusted through the area as Sally took in the environs.  
            "We should find a place to interface Nicole. Maybe we can find out where Caero is being held."  
            "Alright, sounds like a plan."  Sonic grabbed Sally by the wrist, and took off toward a nearby building.  
            As Sonic came to a stop and Sally felt his grip on her wrist release, she asked, half-smirking, "Could you at least warn me before doing that?"  
            Sonic caught the gesture upon her lips and smiled, emitting a slight chuckle, as he turned to the building and proceeded inside.  
            Again, the building was peculiarly empty.  
            Sally unclipped Nicole from her boot and found an interface on the wall.  
            "How long is this gonna take?"  Sonic tapped his foot impatiently.  
            "Quick enough," Sally said, irritated.  
            Sonic yawned deliberately.  
            "Download complete, Sally."  
            "Alright, let's go," said Sally, disconnecting Nicole from the terminal.  
            "About time," said Sonic sarcastically.  
            Once outside, Sally spoke to Nicole: "Nicole, can you locate where Caero is being held?"  
            "A former member of Robotnik's army has recently had his IFF designation changed to hostile. He is being detained at in the detention chamber of the main command complex, pending roboticization."  
            "The command center, huh? Damn."  
            "Are you sure it's wise to break into Robotnik's command center just two strong?"  
            "I can't let him die for me, Sal. If I had just kept my mouth shut, it would have been me who died instead of him."  
            Sally nodded solemnly.  "Alright, Sonic. Let's get this over with."  
            Sonic nodded, and lifted her in his arms, before dashing off toward Robotnik's ominous command building at the center of the city.  


* * *

  
            "It appears that our guests have arrived," boomed Robotnik from his chair.  "I do believe this would be the perfect time for our little demonstration. Are the preparations ready for the show, Snively?"  
            "We have the target acquired and the halo charged, sir. The observatory is waiting to be raised."  
            "Good, good. I knew he would come."  


* * *

  
            Sonic stood at the base of the rotund, egg-shaped command construct.  With its distinctive shape and tall figure, standing at the center of the city, it seemed to represent the city.  It was a dark landmark that defined the city and caught the eye when looking at the place from afar.  
            The front entrance was closed, and Sonic didn't want to waste time trying to barge in.  He knew other ways to get into the building.  
            "C'mon," he gestured to Sally as he turned to make his way to the right side of the building.  She quickly followed him as he rounded the corner.  When she caught up to him, he was already climbing his way up the piping and outcroppings on the metal wall.  Without a word, she too started making her way up as she had done many times before.  Sonic stopped to wait for her to catch up, and then pushed aside a metal grate that covered the way inside.  Sonic ducked into the small crawl space and pawed his way forward; Sally crouched and came in behind him.  
            They went for not too far a ways before Sonic stopped, shoving out another grate, which clamored onto the floor of the lighted hallway.  It hit the floor with a loud metallic ring.  Sonic popped out of the cramped duct and onto the wide hall floor.  He turned to help Sally out of the tunnel, but quickly turned around again when he heard clambering footsteps coming toward him.  
            A SWATbot must have heard the ruckus from the grate being knocked to the floor.  Sonic scrambled to the opposite wall and waited silently for the SWATbot to round the corner.  As it did, he quickly spun at its side before it could even turn to face him.  
            Sally quickly hopped out of the channel and pulled herself to her feet, before unstrapping Nicole from her boot.  
            "Which way is the detention chamber, Nicole?"  
            "It is at the rear of the complex."  Nicole projected a map of the current floor of the command building.  Sonic and Sally's position was illuminated, and on the other end, another room was lit up.  
            "Thanks, Nicole," said Sally, flipping Nicole shut and clipping her to her boot again.  Turning to Sonic, she gestured, and called, "This way."  
            She and Sonic scuttled down the hall, ducking behind a metal crate when SWATbot footsteps were heard approaching, and continuing once they passed.  
  
            Eventually, they reached the other side of the building.  
            "That's the detention chamber," Sally pointed, scurrying over to her finger's target and opening up Nicole, setting her to work at cracking the code to unlock the door from the small terminal adjacent to the right of the doorframe.   
            Sonic waited, tapping his foot impatiently while Nicole worked.  Sally looked over her shoulder to check for SWATbots, but there were none.  Suddenly, Sally heard a hissing sound as the seal on the doorframe loosened and Nicole unlocked the door.  Sonic stepped forward and flung the door open.  
            The room was empty.  
            "Shit! They must have already taken him to the roboticizer!"  
            "Calm down, Sonic! We shouldn't jump to conclusions so quickly."  
            "We can't just stand here! We have to go to the roboticizer right away!"  
            "He might not even be there!"  
            "But if he is, and you're wrong, then he's **dead! I'm going!"  
            "I guess you're right. Let's go."  
  
            The main roboticization chamber was upstairs.  Sonic grabbed Sally and took off up the stairs, sought the next stairwell, and swerved toward and up it, then sought the next stairwell, ascended it, up and up, until they reached the highest floor's large atrium.  Sonic stopped here, to recall which door here led to the roboticizer.  
            He remembered now.  
            But it was too late.  A cylindrical steel barrier dropped down about the circular – or perhaps oval – room's circumference, enclosing the room and closing off the doors and descending stairwell.  Not more than a second later, the entire room suddenly started moving upwards.  The room was ascending.  Sonic, without thinking, ducked into a ball and spun at the steel fence that had encircled the room.  Two spins tore a hole in it, but the room had already lifted above the doors now; there was no reaching them, and there was no clear escape.  Sonic stepped backwards to the center of the room, and the room suddenly came to a jarring, disorienting stop.  
            Above, the ceiling came to a rounded end.  The ceiling was close here, a claustrophobic's bane.  The steel circle dropped into the floor, and on the far wall was a black, empty viewscreen.  Sonic and Sally looked at each other uneasily.  
            The viewscreen lit up.  
            "Ah, hedgehog, I knew you would come."  Sonic snapped his gaze back forward to see Robotnik's visage on the screen.  "I knew you couldn't resist saving that pathetic, mutinous fool."  
            Sonic gritted his teeth.  
            "Ah, but the real reason I have brought you here is so that I might perform a little… demonstration."  
            "You're going to eat a whole pig in one bite, 'Buttnik?"  
            "Silence, fool! I will show you genius! Marvel!"  
            The ceiling above their heads opened up, and the gray sky showed through.  The ceiling peeled open until the walls around were opened as well.  The room was now completely open.  The viewscreen was the only thing that still remained.  
            Off in the distance just to the left of the viewscreen, the grand tower's figure could be made out through the thin clouds of smog.  
            The viewscreen's display changed from Robotnik to an image of the same landscape as was behind the monitor, with the tower offcenter to the left.  
            "See that mountain?" came Robotnik's voice from the speaker.  On the monitor, a red beacon lit up, highlighting the mountain Robotnik spoke of.  It was at least as tall as the tower itself, and wide in breadth.  Sonic peered to the left of the monitor, and located the same mountain in the actual landscape.  
            The view on the monitor changed again, and now showed the tower from much closer up, with the great mountain behind it.  
            "Bask in the glory of my power, you wretches!"  
            On the monitor, the tower's halo began to spin.  It picked up speed and began to gyrate, faster and faster.  The bulge in the tower itself began to glow with a green light.  Asudden, the whole monitor seemed to turn green.  Sonic saw the green flash in the real landscape where the tower was, to the left of the monitor.  When it subsided, the gyrating halo was glowing.  
            Robotnik's booming laughter resoundingly blasted from the speakers.  
            The glow on the monitor ebbed, and then focused at one point.  It then thrust outward and struck heavily the towering mountain.  As the green light pounded the mountain on the monitor, a thin green ray appeared on the real horizon, and the mountain was torn asunder.  Once on the monitor, and once in the reality which Sonic and Sally beheld in the distance.  
            The mountain was gone.  
            Before, it had stood majestically, a testament to the power of nature.  
            And now it was just gone.  
            Robotnik's laughter poured from the speaker and drowned them.  
            As they sputtered to the surface for air in the sea of disbelief, Robotnik spat venom: "Surrender to me, Freedom Fighters, or I'll do the same to the Great Forest, bit by bit, until it is wholly destroyed!"  
            When they said nothing, Robotnik continued: "You see it with your own wretched eyes! I have the power the destroy _mountains! Think of what I can do with that power if I put it to use in the Great Forest. You have met the end of your rebellion! I can squelch it, crush it, annihilate it! You cannot hope to stand against such divine power! … You have ten hours to surrender. If you do not give up your insurrection against me within that time, I shall unleash my power upon the Great Forest!"  Robotnik's words slurred perfectly into his laughter that pounded from the speakers.  
            The monitor turned black.  


* * *

  
            Robotnik turned around in his chair.  "Snively, is the roboticizer charged?"  
            "It is ready, sir."  
            "Good. Then get the traitor. I said we'd do this before the next sunrise."  
            "As you wish, sir."  Snively turned and strode to the door.  


* * *

  
            "Hey, wait! Robotnik!"  Sonic was yelling at the empty monitor screen, but there was no response.  
            "He said we have… ten hours…"  
            "Damn. And then he just disappeared."  
            "We have to stop him before those ten hours are up, Sonic."  
            "I still can't believe the mountain is actually gone…"  
            "Neither can I, Sonic. We have to do something! We don't have much time! We should get back to Knothole right now and warn the others. We need a plan!"  


* * *

  
            The door to the roboticization chamber slid open, and Caero was brought in by two SWATbots.  Snively entered the room behind them.  Caero was surprisingly calm – at least externally; he was not writhing in his captors' grips.  He was, however, alert, and his eyes carried a gaze of almost-stony contempt as he was carried into the room that was to be his enslaver.  
            Robotnik stood in the center of the room.  The terrible roboticizer, recognizable by its large, clear tube suspended above the base which would lower from above its subject, was on the left side of the room from the door.  The main controls were mounted on the right side of the chamber.  
            The SWATbots came to a stop several feet before Robotnik.  
            In the silence that followed, Caero said nothing, but his eyes said well enough with their cold stares of contempt they cast upon Robotnik's back.  
            Robotnik turned around.  "Now that you've arrived," he said calmly, "I must thank you."  
            Caero did not open his mouth fully when forming his words, which were soft like whispers, but carrying the anger that was seen in his eyes: "For what?" he growled.  
            "For allowing me to address your friends. They came after you, quite predictably. The hedgehog can't seem to get enough of his own bravado. Thanks to you, I didn't have to wait for them to stop by in order to deliver my address and get on with my plans; you brought them right to me."  Robotnik paused.  "Don't expect them to come after you. With only ten hours left, I'm sure you're of little concern."  
            Caero said nothing, but in his mind, he asked himself: "__What did Robotnik mean by 'ten hours left'? Why did Sonic try to save me? After all I've done? … Maybe he didn't," he considered.  "__Maybe he came to kill me?"  
            "Ah, but enough about that. What do you think of the roboticizer? It may not look like much, but I'm sure you'll appreciate it more once you're _inside_ it."  
            Caero lowered his head while maintaining his cold gaze upon Robotnik; as he tilted his head down at the neck, his pupils rose to the top of his corneas.  
            "It's such a pity that it's come to this, but you gave me no choice. I gave you a future, and you spat in my face."  Robotnik took a step forward and to the right, leaning in to Caero's ear.  He spoke softly and menacingly, speaking slowly and carefully but a few inches from Caero's ear canal: "You spat in my face."  Robotnik leaned back to stand straight again, and then turned face.  
            Robotnik paced for a few moments, and then, coming to a stop, turned to again face his captive.  His voice, before, haunting in its menacing, threatening tone, now came louder: "You think you've blighted me, don't you? You think that by giving up your own wretched life, you've redeemed yourself! You really think that you've righted your wrongs against Sonic and everyone else!"  Robotnik stopped his tirade, and, bringing his left hand to his chin, spoke in a hauntingly-heartless whisper: "You're wrong."  
            A smile crept across Robotnik's lips as he lowered his arm to his side once more.  "You're wrong!" he barked again, now roaring and loud.  
            Caero, for the first time since he had been brought into this chamber of slavery, lowered his pupils to the floor.  
            "You're wrong," Robotnik spoke again, with a snarl upon his lips.  "They'll never forgive you. You'll never be purged; you'll never be a hero! You single-handedly destroyed the home of those Freedom Fighters living in the snow. _****You _murdered_ them! Do you really think that by changing your mind you can free your conscience?! Do you really think that by standing up to me that everything else you've done will just be **forgotten**?!  
            "There is no honor in that. Once you joined me, there was no turning back. It was foolish to try. It didn't matter whether you betrayed me or not; you would still never be the same to them as you were before. So why give up your life? You could have kept it. But you had to ****feel like you were heroic, saving that wretched hedgehog. Sadly for you, that hedgehog may be indebted to you, but he is the only one, and regardless of your grand show up in the tower, he is still in the palm of my hand. In ten hours, I will either wreak destruction upon his forest until it ceases to exist, or he will surrender, and either way, he will no longer be a threat to me. If you had just resisted the urge to throw yourself in the line of fire, you could have been there to see it, and you could have lived. But you gave into your foolish conscience and believed that you could redeem yourself, and achieve vindication. But you were wrong."  
            "I know I can never undo what I did when I worked for you, 'Botnik, but 'least I stopped when I did, an' didn't let ya get anymore use out of me fer yer foul work. An' there's honor in that."  
            Robotnik laughed.  "You still haven't realized?"  He stared Caero in the eyes.  "I ****will get more use out of you! Whether you want to or not, you **will** do my bidding! Your show of audacity was in **vain**! It was **in vain**! You will carry out my bidding regardless; the only difference is that because of your treachery, you will do so without control of your body! You will do so but now you will also give up your free will! You still think that what you did has honor, but it was all in vain!"  
            Caero had no words.  
            "You worthless fool! You have sacrificed yourself to me! For all your nobleness, in the end you'll do _exactly what it was you tried to stop! You will __kill for me."  
            Robotnik paused for effect before continuing: "And you will witness it all from within a shell of which you have no control. You will be enslaved in your own body and you will never escape!"  
            Caero snarled his upper lip as he met Robotnik's gaze from the top of his corneas, baring his gritted teeth.  "Someday, they will kill you."  
            "Who? The Freedom Fighters? I have already defeated them, miscreant! Resign yourself!"  
            Caero refused to meet Robotnik's cold gaze.  
            "You will kill for me. You have failed!"  A smug look seeped onto Robotnik's fat face.  "How does it feel?" he gloated.  "How does it feel to have failed so miserably?"  
            "I despise you," spat Caero.  
            Robotnik smirked smugly.  "Well, that's to be expected; you are, after all, about to forfeit your life to me."   
            Robotnik turned to Snively.  "Throw him into the roboticizer."  
            "As you say, sir," mumbled Snively, who nodded to the SWATbots and muttered something under his breath.  The SWATbots marched forward to the roboticizer.  
            Caero still didn't struggle.  He felt completely torn and shattered by Robotnik's utter disparagement of him.  He was shattered.  He had failed.  He could not be vindicated.  And now he would be forced to watch as he killed more innocents on behalf of Robotnik.  
            He couldn't take it.  He wouldn't have it.  He couldn't let Robotnik win.  
            He lashed out, suddenly exploding with desire to escape just so that he could fight Robotnik for one day, just so that he wouldn't die so utterly vile.  He succeeded in knocking one SWATbot to the ground which had held his left arm.  The other SWATbot quickly raised its right arm and fired a stun shot upon Caero, subduing his struggle.  It dragged the faint Caero to the roboticizer without further event, and Snively pressed a button on the panel which lowered the transparent tube upon and around Caero, enclosing him in his bane.  
            "Don't worry, scum. This is far from the end. It may perhaps be but the beginning of an eternity in my service!" bellowed Robotnik from the other side of the room.  


* * *

  
            "Damn! What about Caero?!"  
            The Freedom Fighters were gathered in the clearing of once-Knothole in the Great Forest.  
            "I know it's hard, but we have to deal with Robotnik first. We don't have much time."  
            "Fucking bastard! That bastard destroyed Ilus! And now you want to help him?"  
            "That's Robotnik's fault, not his."  
            "Like hell it is! People __died because of him."  
            "Stop arguing!" cried Sally in an attempt to mediate.  "We have to deal with the threat at hand right now, okay? And we can't do that if all you can do is argue! We have to figure out a way to stop Robotnik within ten hours. We can't take any chances. We've seen what that tower is capable of."  
            "Well, do you have any ideas?"  
            "I'm pretty sure that if we take away the emerald, the tower won't be able to to unleash its power. I'm sure that the power to destroy that mountain came from the emerald."  
            "The emerald is encased in that diamond glass stuff, and behind diamond glass bars. How are we supposed to get it?"  
            "Didn't you say that the room the emerald was in was like a control room?"  
            "It looked like it could have been; why?"  
            "Well, the emerald was put into the glass, right? If it was put in, there must be a way to get it out. And if there's one place I'd think would control it, it'd probably be that very room."  
            "But there's one problem there, Sal: there's still those bars that block the way into the room. And if I couldn't cut through them, I don't see how anyone else could."  
            "Charmy, you could get through the bars; couldn't you?" Espio asked.  
            Indeed, Charmy the bee was small enough to be able to fly clean through the bars.  
            They wouldn't have to break through them at all.  
            Of course, even if Charmy could get inside, they knew nothing of that room other than the fact that it contained the emerald.  


* * *

  
            Caero stood inside his sheer prison.  Snively was tapping away at the roboticizer's control console, before looking up at his uncle, who had his back turned to Caero.  
            "Systems are a-go, sir. I await your charge order."  
            Robotnik turned back to face the roboticizer tube.  "I'd say goodbye, but that would be far from the truth. Sir Charles is only freeing you of your flesh. I am but aligning your mind; ensuring your allegiance, that you would serve the greatest empire this planet has ever seen… And it is time, now. I shall see you again once you have been freed from your volition and your mortality."  He turned back to face his nephew, who sat at the console.  "Commence the roboticization!"  
            "As you command, sir."  As Snively issued the final command, the roboticizer, which had been humming softly throughout the entire episode, now came to life, its humming amplified, its armatures going to work and creating the mechanical sounds of action, and its transmutation beam in the ceiling-mounted roboticizer module now whirring and glowing.  
            The arm, upon which the transmutation beam was mounted, twitched, and then, as the eye in the tower had, fixated itself upon Caero's leg.  
            Now pointed at its prey, the arm's eye discharged its sickening white light.  As it seared Caero's skin, for an instant he felt pain.  
            The pain, however, was short-lived.  
            He could no longer feel his foot, which had just the instant before throbbed with pain.  It was numb.  He weakly pushed his gaze downward, to find his numb foot, to catch it in his gaze through the painful white light.  
            And when he saw it, he instantly retracted his gaze, so that he could stare through the glass, just so not to have to behold the horror he had witnessed.  
            His foot had been transmuted.  
            His flesh and organics had been transmuted into metal.  
            And he pleaded with all his heart just to feel the pain again.  He wanted with every vein of his existence just to feel the pain again that he had felt when the white light had swathed the skin of his foot.  For he would rather suffer the pain than bear the numbness he now felt.  
            It would be all over soon, he told himself.  
            The beam above moved quickly into action, moving up his body and steadily transmuting his flesh into metal.  Within seconds, he had no more feeling in either of his legs.  He could not bear to look down and see them.  He thrashed his arm against the wall of his cylindrical prison, and then he felt the pain seep up his arms and torso, followed quickly by the numbness.  He pulled his arm away from the wall – or he tried, but it would not move.  He no longer held dominion over it.  
            The light swathed his neck, and finally his head.  
            As he felt his tongue go numb, he screamed.  
            Nobody could hear him except himself.  
            He was trapped within his own body.  
            He was a prisoner for eternity.  
            Several seconds passed, and then the roboticizer's tube slowly rose up toward the ceiling.  
            Caero tried with every ounce of his strength to run from there, to escape that he might kill himself and end this torment, or seek refuge if someone would take in a machine… but his strength had no vessel.  His energy had no body to control.  And he was frozen in place as Robotnik moved toward him.  
            "I am your lord," Robotnik said.  
            "I live to serve you, Lord Robotnik," Caero heard himself say.  
            Caero tried to raise his arms to his ears to silence the world, and to silence himself, but he could not control them.  
            He had heard himself say it.  
            "If you can hear me in there," said Robotnik broodingly and softly, "– whatever is left of your sentient existence – and I know you can, watch as you lead a front against the hedgehog. How will it feel to not even be able to stop yourself from striking the one you sacrificed your life to save?! Hahahaha!" Robotnik laughed maniacally.  "You sacrificed your life to save him, but you won't even be able to stop yourself from exacting my wrath upon him!"  
            Robotnik took a step back, crossing his arms.  "Go now," he ordered.  
            Caero felt his shell in motion.  His roboticized will was moving into action in following Robotnik's orders, and he was but a spectator.  
            He had told himself it would all be over soon.  
            He had been wrong.  
            He was crushed under the weight of an eternity.  
            He wished so much to die.  


* * *

  
            Bunnie fired her pulse cannon at the congregation of SWATbots, hoping they would react and indulge her distraction.  They took the bait.  
            "Get ready."  
            Brant grunted.  Rohan nodded and braced himself.  
            Knuckles only half-heard the command, staring into nothing.  
            But when he heard the sounds of battle arrive with the SWATbots, he sprung into action, awakened.  
            On this battleground, many fighters stood together.  Tarahassas, Ilus, Knothole – and even the Floating Island – all had representation on this battlefield.  They were, as before, providing a distraction while Sonic and Charmy entered the tower.  
            Raiyon unsheathed his staff.  Antoine drew his sword.  Brant and Rohan and Arnost and Laine and Zoru and Rand and all the others stood ready.  
            And then the two sides clashed.  
  
            Laine and Rohan nodded to each other, and then charged as one.  
            On both sides, bodies fell.  
            Bunnie swung her arm, tearing a SWATbot's arm from its socket.  
            Those who had participated in the training session did as they had been taught.  
            More SWATbots from the tower took notice of the battle and moved to join it.  
            "Second form!" shouted Laine, and the ones who knew what it meant took heed, spacing out in pairs.  
            Knuckles ducked out of the way as a SWATbot fired upon him, quickly leaping into the air to repay his attacker.  
            The battlefield was a chaotic mess, with fists flying and lasers flashing.  
            Bunnie charged her pulse cannon, and opened fire on a group of three SWATbots.  Just as the shot was discharged, however, Bunnie felt a surge run through her right leg.  She reeled around to find a SWATbot behind her with its weapon aimed at her leg.  Before she could react, it raised its other arm and clubbed her across the face.  Bunnie fell to the ground, and the SWATbot raised its weapon to her chest and fired again.  A sickening pain overwhelmed her senses and blurred out everything else.  She didn't even see Antoine impaling her attacker.  Unfortunately, before Antoine could get her to safety, another SWATbot was upon her, picking her up and throwing her as it clocked her in the gut with its other fist.  She closed her eyes as she hit the ground and a nauseousness emerged in her stomach.  


* * *

  
            Sonic held Nicole firmly in his hand as he now stood within the tunnel from which he had witnessed Caero turning on Robotnik.  It had been Sally who had encouraged him to bring Nicole with on this mission.  
            Without a word, Charmy buzzed between the bars and down the hall, through the final bars, and into the control room.  "What do I press to lower the bars?" called Charmy.  
            "The levers on the left," called Sonic.  
            A few seconds passed, and Sonic began to tap his foot impatiently just as the far bars rose into the ceiling.  A few seconds later, the near bars too rose, and Sonic made haste down the hall to join Charmy in the control room.  
            "Alright, so what's the plan? To get the emerald out of there?" Charmy asked.  
            "Yep."  Sonic flipped open Nicole.  "Yo, Nicole. Can ya tell me what ya know about this room? How do we get the emerald outta there?"  
            "Yo, my main hedgehog. The terminal here seems to be on the same circuit as the machinery that encircles the glass column. Most likely it is fitted to facilitate the removal of the emerald."  
            "Yo, Nicole; it's me. I didn't get a word of what you just said."  
            "She's saying you can use the terminal here to remove the emerald," Charmy said before Nicole had a chance to rephrase her assessment into 'Sonic-talk.'  "At least she thinks you can."  
            "Alright, well, let's see what you can do."  Sonic interfaced Nicole with the terminal on the right side of the room.  "Get us the emerald."  
            "Processing…"  
            Sonic tapped his foot impatiently.  
            Suddenly, he heard something to his left.  
            "The door should be open."  
            "What?"  
            "The panel in front of the emerald should be open."  
            "Over here, Sonic," said Charmy.  Sonic turned to see, to find that Charmy was inside of the glass tube.  
            "Ah, gotcha, Nicole," Sonic said, now grasping what she had been trying to say.  
            Sonic stepped over to the tube, and, reaching inside, felt the emerald touch the glove on his hand.  "All right!" he exclaimed, pulling the emerald out from its glass resting place.  "Let's get out of here," he said, turning to Charmy.  He quickly disconnected Nicole from the terminal and started back for the tunnel, the power in hand.  


* * *

  
            Sonic made his way down the stairs as Charmy descended alongside him.  The emerald's power in his hand gave him a faint tingling sensation; he held Nicole tight in his other hand.  
            He could see the dim light from the hole on the bottom floor; he was almost to the bottom.  
            He descended the final staircase.  
            "Charmy, you there?"  
            "Yeah, I'm here."  The voice came out of the darkness.  
            "We did it! Well, let's go, then."  
            Sonic made haste toward the hole to the outside.  
            A shadow appeared in the imperfect frame of the breach.  
            Sonic squinted, unable to make out the figure that had blotted the light.  
            "_Maybe it's Sally,_" he said to himself, continuing toward the light.  
            As Sonic passed from inside the tower to the outer world, the ambient light illuminated the figure he had seen.  
            And it was a machine.  
            Somehow, it looked chillingly familiar.  Sonic stopped in his tracks.  
            The robot was but a few feet from him when he realized: it was Caero.  
            It was Caero, and he was a machine.  
            Sonic had to think fast to get himself unstuck from his fixated, horrified position.  He had to get away from there, so as not to be forced to fight Caero again.  
            But once he had finally gathered his resolve, Caero had already dealt the first blow.  
            "No!" screamed Caero.  But Caero's voice was mute.  Screaming inside, but his voice trapped within his enslaving shell.  
            Caero had natural physical strength; all the robotic shell did was to harden his flesh and augment his defense.  His blow knocked Sonic to the ground, and knocked the emerald from his hand.  
            Caero pleaded for forgiveness – to Sonic, and to the creator – for what he had done, for his failure.  But he knew he could never escape to solicit it.  And if his voice was trapped in his body with him, then he knew the creator couldn't hear him either.  
            Before Sonic could rise again, Caero had already lifted him in the air by his leg.  In a painful instantaneous flash, Caero's free hand struck hard and fast at Sonic's exposed knee.  Sonic winced with silent pain as he heard a terrible crack scream from his leg.  
            Sonic fell to the ground.  He tried to run away, mustering all his speed and escape; he was the fastest being alive.  He could escape from anything.  
            But his leg would not run; Caero had crippled him.  Was his leg broken?  It didn't matter: he couldn't escape.  His speed had been stolen from him.  
            Caero was a reluctant tormenter.  
            His artificial volition prepared its next blow as it raised his arm to prepare to strike down at Sonic's weary head as he lay on the ground unable to use the speed upon which he depended so heavily.  
            "Yaaaaahhh!!!"  The scream pierced the air as Caero's strong arm came down on Sonic.  Sonic, exhausted, braced himself, but the arm was torn away as Caero slumped to the ground, and with him, Sonic.  Caero's grip failed, and Sonic rolled onto his back, seizing the emerald that lay on the ground.  
            And then he looked up to see who it was that had saved him.  At first he saw noone.  And then, looking down, he saw Bunnie kneeling on the ground, bruised and panting from exhaustion.  
            Sonic managed to murmur, "Thanks, Bunnie."  
            She had come to his aid even with the beating she had taken at the fight outside.  
            "How… did you know to come?"  
            "I… saw him…"  She nodded her head at Caero slumped on the ground.  "…walk toward the tower…I had to save you…even though I hurt…"  
            Sonic heard a loud humming descend from above.  He tried to stand up, but his left leg gave way and he stumbled back to the ground.  
            Already in pain, he felt another pain in his back, and felt himself being lifted off the ground.  
            Bunnie gasped.  
            It was the beast.  
            The beast pried the emerald from Sonic's hand, and then Sonic felt himself heaved into the air by the nape of his neck.  
            Bunnie tried weakly to put up a fight with the beast, but, unlike with Caero, she lacked the element of surprise, and failed miserably as he made off with the emerald.  
  
            The loudspeaker blared to life again.  
            "Hmph, it seems you have defied me, insolent fool. As you can see, I have the emerald once again in my possession, and it will be restored to its place shortly. For your impudence, you have now only 3 hours to surrender before I destroy the forest and whatever else it takes to drive you to the brink. Three hours. If you have not surrendered by then, you will wish you had."  
  
            Caero was gone.  
            Sonic tried to stand again, but again fell back to the ground as his left leg gave way.  Bunnie, overcoming her great pain and throbbing body, lifted Sonic in her arms and together they retreated from the wretched place.  
  
  
_**


	17. Sixteen

**

16

  
  
                failure.  Sonic had held the emerald in his hands.  The mission had succeeded, and Robotnik had been foiled again.  
            Until: Failure.  The emerald had been pried from his fingers.  And time was running out.  
            Three hours.  Three hours remained until Robotnik would begin to destroy the world.  
            If they surrendered, would it really end in any other way?  
  
            Sonic still imagined the emerald in his hand.  He could not envision such miserable failure.  To have come so close and have it torn away at the last moment.  
            His left leg was broken.  
  
            Everything hurt.  
            Sonic, knee enclosed in a cast, lay back and closed his eyes.  


* * *

  
            They stood again before Uncle Chuck: Sally, Bunnie, Antoine, and Sonic on a wooden makeshift crutch.  
            "We are doom-ed!" cried Antoine.  
            "Shhh…"  Sally put her finger to her lips.  
            Uncle Chuck turned around from his console to face the group that stood before him.  
            "I've found out more about the structure of the tower," he said warmly after taking a deep breath.  "Sonic said the bars were made of diamond glass. In actuality, the entire central column of the tower is made of diamond glass. The emerald is housed within the diamond glass column. The ring that encircles the emerald contains the devices needed to harness the emerald's power, as well as focus it into physical energy.   
            "I have also found what I believe to be a satellite outside of Mobius. I believe it is this satellite which destroyed Ilus. It is capable of sending electrical charges or heat-based laser rays to Mobius' earth, as well as acting as a positioning system and relaying commands to and from the tower.  
            "Diamond glass does not conduct electricity, but is an excellent – nay, the best – conductor of heat."  
            "What are you getting at, Unc?"  
            "Well, I have concluded that the security placed on the satellite is almost non-existent: Robotnik simply presumed that it would be impossible for anyone to contact the satellite from such a great distance, so security was unnecessary."  
            "And?"  
            "And… Robotnik has a backup transmitter/receiver in his west facility/factory outside of the city."  
            "Wat do we do when we get it?" asked Bunnie.  
            "We use the transmitter to command the satellite to destroy the tower."  
            "What about the emerald?" asked Sally.  
            "As I said, diamond glass does not conduct electricity. If we use the satellite's electrical charge instead of its heat laser cannon, we can fry and destroy the tower, while leaving the diamond glass column unharmed and intact, with the emerald safe inside of it."  
            "All right," said Sonic.  "So, where is this factory, anyway?"  
            Uncle Chuck turned back to his terminal and tapped at the keys.  Shortly, a map of the Great Forest-Robotropolis area of Mobius appeared on the display.  "It's roughly here," said Uncle Chuck, standing up and pointing at the screen.  
            "Got it. How will we know when we've found what we're looking for?"  
            "The transmitter located in the tower conduit looks like this."  Uncle Chuck tapped at the keys; an image appeared on the screen, a rectangular device with cylindrical ridges and an array of antennas.  "The backup unit in the factory may or may not look identical, however, it will at the least most likely look similar."  
            "Thanks as usual, Unc."  Sonic gave a thumbs-up.  
            "It's my pleasure, as always. Good luck."  


* * *

  
            This is our final chance.  Blow it now, and it's all over.  
            And pray that Charles was right.  


* * *

  
            Sally stepped onto the cold soil.  
            She took in the environs.  The bastard child of a forest and a canyon, with the forest holding the greater genetic influence.  Near the forest's border, but still within its boundaries, a steep cliff rose up to the east, and the forest's trees loomed high upon the cliff as the forest continued off a ways to the east.  
            It was in this area, outside of Robotropolis and its blackness, that Robotnik's facility housing the transmitter/receiver was said to be.  
            Knuckles clambered out behind her, Espio trailing behind him.  
            Sonic hobbled down the platform.  His knee was now enclosed in a splint, and he used wooden crutches to make his way down the platform.  Sally had tried to convince him to stay back at once-Knothole, underground, so that he could heal up and get some rest, but he had insisted, taking it upon himself to accompany them on this critical mission regardless of whether he had his speed or not, and regardless of how much it hurt.  
            "Let's go."  Sally motioned with a wave of her right arm.  
            She started forward; the others were still disembarking from the plane; they quickly hurried to follow as Knuckles and Espio and Sonic started off behind Sally.  
            Sally did not look behind her.  She moved carefully forward, calculating and observing.  The soil she walked appeared as if it had been walked upon before.  Broken twigs littered the ground.  One tree in particular had a branch torn from it.  In the distance, atop a cliff to her right, she could see some kind of wooden structure.  As she took step after step, nearing the structure, she could make out what it was: a logging hub for Robotnik.  Felled trees and logs were stacked upon the cliffside.  Below, Sally noticed another facility of Robotnik's: a mining location dug into the side of the cliff.  It appeared to be deserted now.  The logging station was set up above the mining location, atop the cliff that had been torn apart to make room for Robotnik's excavation.  
            "Sally, I am detecting two heat signatures nearby."  
            "Hold on, you guys."  Sally turned around.  "Nicole's detecting heat signatures."  
            "Where?" asked Knuckles, stepping forward.  
            "Over there, in that cave."  She pointed.  
            "Who cares?" spat Sonic.  "We don't have time to deal with them if they're out of the way."  
            "They don't appear to be SWATbots. All SWATbots have very similar heat signatures. These two are very distinctly different. They seem organic."  
            Without a word, Knuckles started walking toward the cave.  


* * *

  
            The blackness was discouraging in a way, for it being the first thing he saw showed him only emptiness, and if emptiness was all he would find then he was empty-handed, again forced to walk aimlessly without direction in hope that they would fall from the sky upon him.  
            Still, he had hope that perhaps he would finally be reunited with them.  
            A frightening thought crept into his mind: what if he did find them here in this cave?  But what if it was their corpses which he carried out?  It had been a long time.  Had they survived in the wilderness?  Had they given up hope?  
            It was of no use to worry now.  Worrying could come once he came out empty-handed, or, worse, his fears were confirmed.  But now he would concentrate on the task at hand: finding them alive, if fate would be so kind.  
            "Is anybody here? It's me, Knuckles!"  
            A few moments of silence passed, and then he heard a scurrying from the darkness.  
            And then a voice came: "Who did you say you were?"  
            "Knuckles," he replied hopefully.  
            Suddenly a figure broke out of the dark and tackled him to the ground.  
            "I thought I'd never see you again!"  
            Knuckles quickly realized that it was Vector on top of him, and that it was not an attack, but an embrace.  


* * *

  
            Time would not wait.  
            For years, he had been watched, observed, like an ant in an antfarm, like a specimen under the microscope.  Oblivious to his observers, the hovering, invisible arbiters, the teachers who never taught, the silent judges, he had lived without meaning, without understanding of his place in the world.  
            But would he ever find it?  
            Would he ever find his place in the world, if he were not told?  
            But it was not questioned.  This was the way things were done.  For generations, it had worked this way.  But change was not outlawed.  Change was not outlawed; it was simply never considered.  Not under this stubborn father.  
            Every objective he crafted had to come from himself.  
            He had been taught once, but his teacher vanished with his world, and he was left alone to find out the answers for himself.  Unfortunately for him, his observers may have underestimated the difficulty involved in deciphering the world alone.  


* * *

  
            Sally saw Knuckles returning from the cave.  And when she saw him accompanied by two others, she smiled faintly.  He had finally found them.  
            Espio ran to meet them.  
            "Espio!" hailed Mighty.  
            "It's great to finally all be together again," returned Espio with a smile.  
            "Hey!" Sonic's impatient voice broke into their happy reunion.  "We've got to go! You guys coming or not?"  He crossed his arms.  
            Knuckles grunted.  "I'm trying to get the emerald back," he said in an aside to his friends.  "I'm hoping they can help me."  
            "We'll come with ya, then," affirmed Mighty.  
            "Hey, I dunno," smirked Vector.  "It took 'im an awful long time to find us."  
            Knuckles turned around to scold Vector and inform him of how it wasn't his fault, but Vector was one step ahead.  "I'm jus' joshin' with ya."  


* * *

  
            Turning to her left, Sally saw a felled tree, doubtlessly felled at Robotnik's hand.  She shook her head faintly: it wasn't as if she was completely innocent of using trees for wood, but Robotnik had blackened Robotropolis' skies and no tree could live there; so he eked out further.  Sally utilized the forest in moderation; Robotnik consumed it.  
            The forest bowed around her.  It was at Robotnik's mercy.  
            A twig snapped beneath Sally's boot.  A single bird fluttered from a tree nearby at the recoil of the sound.  
  
            "How long were you guys hiding out in that cave?" asked Espio as he trailed behind Sally, alongside his companions but just reunited.  
            "We only just got there maybe a few days ago," answered Mighty.  "We'd given up on you finding us."  
            "Is that it, up ahead?"  Bunnie called out from behind.  
            Indeed, in the distance was a short metallic building.  
            Sally unclipped Nicole from her boot.  "Nicole, plot a map from here to the location Uncle Chuck gave us."  
            "Yes, Sally."  The map appeared.  
            "That should be it," Sally called back, noting the location on the map.  
  
            They made their way toward their target.  
            The place that could end this conflict.  
  
            They came out of the woodwork.  
            Out of the forest surrounding the building, and perhaps from around the building itself, bodies appeared.  And after a few moments, it became clear: they were moving toward Sally's group.  
            Antoine must have noticed them: "Zare are peoples!"  
            "I know," said Sally.  
            "Why would there be other people here?" asked Bunnie.  
            "Robots. They must be robots," said Sonic.  
            And immediately everyone believed he was right.  But they didn't look like SWATbots.  Each body here was different, unlike SWATbots, each one looking exactly like the others.  
            But the group advanced with caution, prepared to engage the enemy if this, the enemy be.  
            Each step brought them closer to the advancing bodies.  
            Until they were close enough to make them out.  
            And as soon as Sally could discern the bodies' figures, she reflexively took a step back.  
            "What is it, my princess?" asked Antoine, seeing Sally's step backward.  
            She simply raised her arm and pointed to the advancing bodies.  
            Antoine, following her finger, gazed upon the bodies.  
            And he recognized them.  
            "Sacre bleu!"  
            Sonic, too, must have recognized them, as he, but a moment later, exclaimed: "Shit!"  
            The advancing bodies were indeed robots.  
            But they were also, behind the metal shell, people whom Sonic knew.  
            They were the sentries that Robotnik had captured on the day Knothole burned.  
            Their faces had been transmuted into cold metal.  But they were still recognizable… and recognized.  
            She remembered their names.  Kenth.  Vilas.  Lexas.  Jackson.  Lyal.  
            "What do we do?" cried Sally.  
            Here she was, faced with her own people, citizens of Knothole.  Before her, approaching her, were the very people that had served her many times.  They had served her the night Knothole burned… they had served her one time too many.  
            She could not bring herself to regard them as cold enemy.  These were not SWATbots.  These were living creatures whom Robotnik had enslaved.  
            She could not kill them.  She could not bring herself to do something so primal.  
            Within their prisons, they still lived.  
            So she stood, petrified.  If Sonic had his speed, he could dash around them, and retrieve the transmitter himself.  But, as it were, there was no obvious way to get past them without attacking them.  But how could she attack _them?  She __knew them.  They were _alive_.  They were _slaves_.  They were not her enemy.  How could she kill them?  
            This was the ultimate cruelty.  Robotnik truly had her under his thumb.  Robotnik had found a way to crush her.  An army composed of roboticized Mobians would face no resistance from the princess.  And no matter what the outcome of a battle staged by such an army, the result would be sickeningly ruthless.  Either she would be crushed by her own people, beaten to death, bloodied by her own people, killed whilst being forced to stare them in the face as they smiled Robotnik's smile over her dying body… or she would beat her own people to death, knowing they still lived within that shell Robotnik had created for them, knowing they still lived, no matter how pathetically, and still died at her hand.  And she would have to live knowing she only achieved victory, that the Freedom Fighters only continued to exist because of the painful fact that she had killed her own people.  She was ready to kneel down and surrender to Robotnik at that hopeless moment.  Robotnik had won.  
            "We've… we've got to… we've got to get past them," stuttered Sonic.  
            "But how?!"  
            "However we can… we've got to fight them. We don't have any other choice!"  
            "But how can we fight them?! They're one of us! Beneath that metal flesh, they're alive. They're not like SWATbots! SWATbots were never alive! This is Jackson, Kenth, and Lyal! I can't kill them!"  
            "But we don't have any other choice," repeated Sonic.  "If we don't get that transmitter, well, you know what will happen."  
            But they did not have forever to decide.  
            Vilas had already reached them.  
            Against his will, his arm reached and grabbed Sally by the throat.  
            There was no time left.  
            To get to the transmitter, she would have to break through them.  And probably kill them to break their pursuit.  
            But Sally had another idea.  
            With a quick turn of her hip, Sally delivered a hard side kick to Vilas, knocking him back and down.  
            "Follow me!" cried Sally, turning around and running the other way from her enslaved once-companions.  
            "We have to get the transmitter!" cried Sonic.  
            "Just trust me! Please, just trust me!"  
            Much to her relief, Sonic and the others turned around and followed her as she ran away from the nightmare, the incredible torture of being confronted with the robotic bodies of the people she knew, the people who had sacrificed their lives the day Knothole burned.  Someday, she believed, they could be freed again.  Someday they would persevere.  
            Sonic tucked his crutches under his arm and forced himself to run, even through the pain he felt in his knee every time his left foot touched the ground.  
            Kenth, Vilas, Lexas, Jackson, and Lyal remained in pursuit of the now-fleeing group.  Hungry for the blood of those they had once served.  Once loved.  
            "Remember the cave on the way here?" shouted Sally.  
            "Yeah; what about it?"  
            "Above it was a bunch of logs. We can knock the logs down to block the entrance. We can trap them inside. We don't have to hurt them."  
            "How do we get 'em ta go in theah?" shouted Bunnie.  
            "Hey," yelled Sonic.  "Chameleon!"  
            "Huh?"  
            "You can lure 'em in there, right?"  
            "You got it."  
            "Uh, how are we gonna get up to those logs fast enough?"  
            There was an awkward moment of silence before Knuckles stuffed his pride and relegated himself to volunteer his abilities for once: "I can climb."  
            It was difficult for Knuckles to bring himself to do this… to volunteer himself to _outsiders_.  He had done it before, but only at the command of the voice.  It was not something he liked to do on his own… but he recognized the gravity of the situation, and murdered his ego to get past it.  
            "Great! Everybody else, hide over here!" Sally directed, moving quickly to a crevice a few feet past the cave's entrance.  
            Everyone scampered to join Sally in hiding.  
  
            Espio stood just outside the cave's entrance, looking from side to side hurriedly.  Turning around, he saw Vilas' group rapidly approaching.  
  
            Knuckles pounded his fists into the side of the cliff, and, crawling upwards, lifted his feet from the ground as he scaled the cliffside.  
  
             "Oh no, they found us!" cried Espio, ducking into the cave.  
            Kenth and Vilas led their group of zombies into the cave as Espio faded into the darkness.  One of them quickly turned on a light in their arm to illuminate the cave.  Their target couldn't have gone far.  
  
            "Now, Knuckles!"  
            The logs were kept in place by two stops held up by ropes.  Knuckles tore through the rope nearest the cliff's edge, and as it slumped away, the gate fell to the ground and the logs tumbled out.  They plummeted off the cliff and crashed to the ground in front of the cave below.  And before the machines could react, the logs had crashed to the ground and blocked the exit.  The chameleon whom they had followed into the cave had paraded out behind their backs.  
            Espio, now unsheathed of the shroud, signaled to the others hiding in the crevice.  
            They hustled from their asylum to see the work that had been done.  
            It had been done.  
            Those enslaved in bodies not their own were encaged in yet another prison.  Yet it was to protect them.  To stop them from wreaking others' havoc, to stop them from acting upon the tugs of the puppet strings that held them.  
            The strings that held their arms and dragged them across the ground, the strings that dug into their skin like needles, woven under their artificial skin like veins.  And when their master sent a tug down one of the strings from the cloud above, or hundreds of miles away, they could feel the itch.  The unbearable itch.  And as they are set into action, driven by forces they cannot touch, they convulse.  Twitching and convulsing, they are dragged by the strings that hold them.  They throw themselves at the logs.  For it is all they know: their mission: to destroy those that could not bring themselves to destroy in return.  Mindlessly they try to break free of the one prison so that the other prison can carry out its charge.  
            "It looks like we did it."  
            The echidna bounded from the cliff, letting the air on his wings break his fall, landing, crouching upon the dirt before stretching out his legs and unbending his knees to stand.  
            And he knew not even what his purpose was anymore.  He, like the zombies he had just shut in the cave, had one mission; his was to recover the emerald.  Like the zombies, there was no _****why.  It was his _destiny_.  As guardian, it was all he knew.  The voice had rationalized it before, but he could not remember.  So now he was following these strangers, with the absurd hope that their mission and his would entwine, that by serving them he could serve his own designs.  Designs that might as well have been etched into the sand by a child in play.  To escape from the mindless meander, he had to keep safe this mission which had been passed down to him by his father, who had walked into the wall of flames and vanished forever.  He would honor the role that had been destined for him by the civilization whose remnants were locked away behind the Doors.  He would, to have a _purpose_.  For it was his only purpose.  
            "_I'm the breath you breathe, the steps you make._"  
            He closed his eyes.  
            Took a deep breath.  
            Exhaled.  
            He felt something touch his shoulder; opening his eyes hastily to find Sally there.  
            "We're going; are you coming with us or staying here? Your friends volunteered to watch the cave and radio me if our roboticized comrades find a way out of the cave."  
            Knuckles turned his head to find Vector and Mighty, radio in hand, standing aside the avalanche of logs.  
            "Your other friend is coming along; his abilities might prove of great help in infiltrating the facility."  
            Knuckles sighed.  "I guess I'll come along. Mighty and Vec'll still be here after this is done."  
            Tilting his head back to the sky, Knuckles spoke softly: "And after this is done, we can all go home."  


* * *

  
            Sonic's crutches darted forward into the dirt as his weight fell upon his good leg.  
            The dirt parted like sand falling through the pores of a sieve.  
  
            "This is the Final mission," she said, taking command and assertion.  "Or we're hoping it is. I think the best course of action is for Espio – that's your name, right?—"  
            Espio nodded.  
            "—for Espio to enter the facility. Our mission might be blown if Robotnik knows we're here and figures out why… presuming he hasn't already."  
            "And what exactly am I doing once I'm inside?" Espio asked.  The inquiry, as it left his lips, brought back in a rush the memory of Knuckles' assault on the enemy's camp back on the Floating Island.  He half-expected Knuckles to tell him, "I'll figure it out once _I get inside."  
            Yet Knuckles did not interrupt.  Espio wondered if the memory had been triggered in his mind, too; if it had, would he have recreated the scene out of humor?  
            "Find the transmitter. It looks something like this."  Sally's reply cut into Espio's train of thought, derailing it.  She held Nicole in the palm of her hand, and Nicole was projecting a holographic image of the device which Uncle Chuck had shown them.  
            "And what if I can't find it? Do we have a backup plan?"  
            "Hm."  Sally was flustered as she realized that they had done very little planning given the enormous importance of this mission.  They hadn't had any time to prepare: it had been thrown upon them and they had had to act immediately.  "If you have any problems," she said, "then radio us."  Sally gripped a radio unit in her left hand, and went into the motions in anticipation of tossing it underhand to Espio.  But she caught herself: "Er."  Her motion stopped abruptly before the radio could become airborne.  "That'd give you away, wouldn't it?"  Sally began to pace.  "It wouldn't be invisible, would it? It'd give you away."  
            "That's right."  
            "If you run into trouble," offered Sonic, "we'll be standing by."  
            "Yes, but how will we know if he's in trouble?"  Sally turned to Sonic.  But suddenly another subject came to the forefront of her mind: "Wait. How will he get out with the transmitter? If the radio would be a floating radio, the same goes for the transmitter."  
            _That's what happens when I try to work out a plan this quickly on the fly,_ Sally thought.  "How stupid of me to not realize that sooner," sighed Sally, hitting her forehead with the palm of her right hand.  "My planning was too rushed. If I had just taken it more carefully, I wouldn't have proposed such idiocy."  
            "Calm down, Sally-girl. Don't fret over it."  
            Sally massaged her temples with her index fingers.  With a sigh: "Well, we might as well be as well-prepared as we can anyway. I think the best course of action is still for Espio to go in first and scout out the area. If there are no SWATbots – and given that we already know this factory wasn't empty, I doubt that will be the case – go ahead and bring the transmitter out. If there are, locate the transmitter first, and then meet back up with us and we'll do this in the usual way. Hopefully it will be swift, given a straight course to our destination."  
            "There we go. Now it's sounding more like a mission plan. It's not as if we don't cast scouts in a lot of our Robotropolis missions."  
            "But this isn't like those missions, Sonic. We don't know what we're doing."  
            "So we're making it up as we go along. That's basically my mission plan all the time anyway."  
            "But I just thought that we could send Espio in and then like a fairy tale we could all live happily ever after. The idea just popped into my head and it seemed so easy. He'd be invisible, just walk in and take the transmitter, and nobody would be the wiser. But of course that would be too easy. What if Robotnik catches on to what we're doing? He's bound to see us. This mission—"  
            "Mah stars, Sally-girl, you ain't the Sally-girl I know. She's alwahs calm and cool, the mos' rational one of us. She ain't one to go worrying about things that ain't even happened yet! Well, 'least not unless it's just planning ahead for every outcome."  Bunnie crossed her arms.  
            But Sally had been crushed under the weight of leadership.  She had stood strong for so long against Robotnik's reign, determined to one day defeat him.  But now things seemed more hopeless than ever, and even if she could surmount the present, the future was still bleak.  Rebuilding Knothole… the idea seemed so far away.  She had promised a new Knothole, but yet the promise seemed almost forgotten.  It had all been put on hold to combat Robotnik and Sally felt as if it would never resume.  This conflict would be drawn out, and—  
            "There might not even be SWATbots in there. For all we know, we might just be able to walk in and take it."  
            "There will be."  
            "Yeah, and if there are, then we'll walk in there and take it anyway. I'll just get a bit more exercise tearin' those 'bots apart. And I don't mind."  Sonic smirked.  
            "But Robotnik will know what we're up to…"  
            "And if he does, then we'll deal with that after we get the transmitter."  
            "My princess, I am not used to seeing you so afraid. Is that not to be my job?" Antoine laughed.  It was perhaps the first time he had laughed at himself, as far as the memories of anyone present could recall.  
            And as Bunnie and Sonic joined in the laughter, a smile was brought to Sally's lips.  "You're right," she said simply.  
            "Let's do this."  
            "Let's do it to it."  


* * *

  
            Espio peered around the corner instinctively before remembering that he had no need to exhibit such visual stealth when he was camouflaged.  All that was necessary was that he remain silent.  
            Casually moving down the hall, he could see nothing but the hall itself.  Was this place empty now?  It certainly would make the girl happy.  
            Knuckles had been reluctant to offer his help.  
            Espio, on the other hand, was rather indifferent.  If he could help the girl and her friends, he had nothing better to do.  
            A sound.  
            Espio focused his senses and scanned the air for noise but it was already gone.  
            But he had heard something.  It could be anything.  Just move on.  
            Down the hallway.  Anyone but him would probably feel naked, exposed.  Even he had not grown fully accustomed to the consequences of being so hidden and unseen in the broad open, but he had over time modified his perceptions and had grown to realize that he could be in the middle of the broad blue sky and be invisible to stargazers.  Yet in this brooding place he found it harder to trust his cloak.  He took each step cautiously, perhaps even in paranoia.  
            His ear piqued.  There was another sound.  A metal clank.  
            He latched onto that sound, took it in his hand as if it were the end of the string.  
            And he pulled himself along the string.  
            And the string led him; the thin hallway opened up into a larger chamber.  
            And the sounds were clear.  
            And he was not alone.  They were here.  
            And in this brooding place, the first sight of them for a second gave him a shock, causing him to lurch back in recoil.  But he quickly reminded himself that he was a specter.  And as he moved across the room, he observed.  There were only about three of them.  He suspected that the three in this room were probably the only ones in the entire facility.  For if this place was sufficiently populated, it would not be so quiet as it was.  Only a presumption, of course, he reminded himself, and nothing more.  
            Yet in that moment it was not quiet any more.  
            The atmosphere of this place had obscured his senses.  
            The sound came flooding in.  
            The grinding of a conveyer belt rushed into his head, and he turned to find the conveyer belt in action in the right side of the room.  One of the robots was attending the belt as chunks of metal rode it and a huge press came down from the ceiling upon each chunk of metal as it passed beneath it.  
            Another robot was at a panel in the wall.  Perhaps it was operating the conveyer belt.  Perhaps even directing the rise and fall of the press in the ceiling.  
            The third, he could not discern what it was doing.  It was moving across his field of vision, towards the left wall of the room.  
            Every few seconds, he could hear the sound of some kind of gas escaping from a machine, and the clinking and cranking of gears was pervasive.  
            And within a few seconds, he had reached the far side of the room.  
            A tower that resembled a bookshelf – except with more depth in its shelves – covered this section of the wall.  
            What struck Espio first was the striking emptiness of this array of shelves.  There were only maybe 3 or 4 things here; the rest was empty space.  
            As he looked over the things so sparsely spread out across these vacant shelves, he immediately recognized the device he had been sent to find.  
            And then his mind was clouded.  Forgetting his orders, he reached for his objective.  
            And in a few seconds, the transmitter was suspended in the air as it drifted away from the shelf upon which it had sat.  
            "ALERT. ALERT. ABNORMALITY DETECTED. MOVE TO INVESTIGATE IMMEDIATELY."  
            "AFFIRMATIVE."  
            Knocked from his daze, unblinded of his illusion, Espio, startled, dropped the transmitter to the floor.  It met it with a light thud.  
            They were converging on his position.  For a moment, he forgot again that they could not see him.  They were converging on the floating transmitter, now dropped to the ground, not on him.  And he ran.  


* * *

  
            "So, you found it?"  
            "Yes, but they saw me!"  
            "What do you mean, they saw you? I thought nobody could see you!"  
            "I picked up the machine."  
            "What?"  
            "I don't know why exactly; I just – something took hold of me and I forgot everything else…"  
            Suddenly an explosion of laughter was detonated.  
            "What??"  
            Knuckles caught his breath, quelling his laughter.  "Now you know how I feel!"  
            "That was different! I just wasn't thinking straight. You'd gone insane!"  
            "Enough. We don't have time for this. We need to get that device."  
            "How many were there?"  
            "What? How many what? Devices? Three or four, I think, but only—"  
            "No, robots. How many robots?"  
            "Three that I could see. There could be more in other parts of the building."  
            "Three we can handle."  
            "Whattaya mean?" quipped Sonic. "I can handle ten easy!"  
            Sally rolled her eyes, and then her gaze shifted down to his crutches.  "Not now, you can't."  
            "Let's just hope Robotnik doesn't catch wind of this."  
            "Don't remind me."  
            "Sorry."  
            "Alright. Let's move."  


* * *

  
            He retraced his steps to the room where the ghost had been exposed by itself.  
            The device was still on the ground, they could see from their place outside of the sphere, calculating their entry.  
            "We need to take care of the SWATbots as quickly as possible."  
            "Doan' worry. Ah'll take care of 'em."  
            "Despite your talent, I don't think you can take them out all in rapid succession from such distance. Your pulse cannon takes a bit of time to charge. If possible, we should get them out of the way ever more immediately. Of course normally Sonic could take care of that, but we don't have that option right now."  
            "I'm right here! Why are ya talkin' about me as if I'm not? An' as if I'm bedridden?"  
            "Because I know that if I let you, you'll try to take out the SWATbots and hurt yourself even more."  
            "Well, I _can_. Just 'cause I can't run so fast doesn't mean I can't unload the hurt."  
            "I am sure you _can_, but so can Bunnie, and much more reliably. But let's get all three as fast as possible."  
            "If all you're asking," Knuckles spoke up, "is for me to kill one of the robots in there, I'm game."  
            "Good," Sally affirmed.  "Antoine, you take the third one."  
            Unfortunately, Knuckles wasn't fully grasping the idea of the plan.  He had gotten the order to attack, and so he carried it out.  
            Sally turned to see that Knuckles had already walked into the open room.  "Wait!" she called with an outstretched hand, before realizing that if Knuckles could hear her call, so could the SWATbots.  "Antoine and Bunnie, go now!"  
            "But I—" Antoine protested, only to find Sally pushing him into the room.  
            Knuckles was already at full speed as he rushed toward the first SWATbot.  
            "SUBJECT 882 HOSTILE IDENTIFIED. ELIMINATE."  
            Now nearing his target, he leapt into the air, fists clenched and outstretched, knuckles brandished.  
            The sound of Bunnie's pulse cannon went off, and the second SWATbot went down.  
            Knuckles plowed into the first.  
            Antoine hastened his step, only halfway to the third.  
            And as the third broadcasted the alert, Robotnik turned his attention to another one of his panels on his wall of eyes, and saw it impaled on Antoine's sword, and knew.  


* * *

  
            "See, that wasn't so hard, was it?"  
            The transmitter sat at their feet, aboard the plane en route to Uncle Chuck's.  
            "Well, once we dealt with the roboticized guys, at least…"  Sonic broke his own awkward pause when he continued: "Since when has disposing of three SWATbots been a hard mission?"  
            "Maybe I worried too much."  
            "Nah, Sally-girl. We all've a lot on our shoulders."  
            "So once we get this thing back to Uncle Chuck…"  The group exchanged many words about what would come next.  
            Knuckles and his comrades sat in the back of the plane, detached from the conversation.  He tried to remember why he was even on this plane.  Why he had even involved himself in these peoples' affairs.  The Chaotix was reunited again.  What was stopping him from returning home and living his life again?  
            The emerald?  But he could live on the Island whether it was suspended in space or in the ocean.  Why did it matter?  His duty, but what did his duty matter anymore?  Ah, yes.  The Voice had told him to get the emerald, had told him of its grave importance, yet despite all its elaborate words he was still clueless as to the real meaning of anything.  
            Forget it, he said to himself.  Just finish this out and then we can go from there.  It's not as if you're going to jump out of the plane.  Just sit tight for now.  


* * *

  
            "They've spat upon my great benevolence! I give them a chance to live under my hegemony, and they ask me to efface them from the soil, to expunge them. They've answered my offer, and their answer is 'Please kill us, for we want so much to die!'"  
            Robotnik stroked his chin.  "Well, Snively, shall we fulfill their request? Accept their bold sacrifice to my once and future reign? Blot them from the map? They have made their wish for as much quite clear, I do believe."  
            Robotnik glared at his nephew thoughtfully, yet with deviance and anger in his eyes.  But suddenly Snively had an epiphany of how severe this really was.  Not until now had he really grasped the idea that his uncle was really about to completely annul the Great Forest, stripping the Freedom Fighters naked, either leaving them with no place to hide, or driving them far away from the Capital.  The frequent raids on the city, either way, would almost assuredly cease or diminish to the point of invisibility.  
            For a split second, he feared what might happen.  He questioned his uncle's sanity, questioned his willingness to erase any and all humanity once he was no longer under any threat to his power.  
            But that reservation was forgotten as Robotnik narrowed his eyebrows and uttered with irritation: "Well, Snively?"  
            "Y-y-y-yes, sir. They have ignored your goodwill and deserve no more of your great m-mercy, sir. Given a chance, s-s-sir, and they disregarded it."  
            "Then today is the day when their little world is absorbed into mine."  


* * *

  
            "How much time remains?"  
            "Enough."  
            "Not much."  
            "But enough. Bring the transmitter outside. We need a clear view of the sky."  
            "A clear view? Can we get that here in Robotropolis?"  
            "If the tower's transmitter can make contact through the smog, then so should this one be able to. But the ceiling might be another matter. Let's go."  
            The transmitter was lifted from the ground, and the hopeful souls emerged from the refuse heap.  
            As they set it down on the cracked earth, they were grateful that there were no SWATbots around to impede their last stand.  
            "Let's get this started," affirmed Uncle Chuck, plugging a small apparatus into an interface on the transmitter.  
            Before anyone could speak another word, the sky lit up, magnificent.  The gray sky turned green in an instant.  
            "What was that?!"  
            "I don't know," stammered Uncle Chuck.  "Let me go check."  He hustled back to his place in the refuse.  Sally followed.  
            He quickly scuttled to his terminal; tapping at the keyboard, he cycled through several cameras on his multiple displays.  And then they saw it.  
            On the center monitor, the tower appeared.  Its glowing halo was spinning.  
            "No."  Sally cupped her mouth in her hands.  "No. He said three hours. It hasn't been three hours yet."  
            But Sally did not have time to brood.  A loud thunderous roar sounded behind her.  Without a word, she rushed out the door to see what it was.  
            For a moment she could not believe what she saw.  Over her head, a green line cut the sky in two.  And as she followed it across the firmament, she saw where it met the ground.  The Great Forest.  
            Uncle Chuck rushed out the door behind her.  He saw her standing, frozen in awe, and then he saw what she saw.  
            "Quick. We have no time to lose!" he shouted.  He dashed back to the transmitter, leaving Sally petrified where she was.  
            Where the smiting hand of Chaos met the Great Forest, the trees disintegrated, and the soil was sucked into nothing.  
            Sonic stood petrified like Sally.  Like the day he witnessed the Flame devour his home, he stood enthralled by the sight he beheld.  But he had been jaded.  The hand of Chaos was so far from him; it felt almost unreal.  He simply could not come to terms with what was happening.  This was not Knothole.  Knothole had burned _around_ him.  He had felt the heat of the flames.  He had smelled the inferno.  But this… this he observed from a distance.  It was almost as if he were watching a film, a story about his world being destroyed, a tale about the rebellion led by the hero Sonic finally being crushed by Robotnik.  But only a story.  It was not really happening.  
            The green line that streaked the dirty heavens and descended upon the Great Forest moved.  As it crept across the horizon, everything it touched evaporated.  It simply faded away.  There was a hole in the Great Forest, and soon the hunger of Chaos would devour the Forest completely.  All it needed was time enough.  Given time to quench its appetite, the Forest would cease to exist.  
            "I've got power!"  
            But if we can stop it, we can stop it at this.  The Great Forest can escape with a battlescar.  The Forest can bear Robotnik's mark, bear a gaping hole borne from Robotnik's blade; it can be a jaded veteran of Robotnik's war and tell its war tales some day… it can exist – scarred, but not destroyed.  
            And Sonic could stand here and watch the Forest slowly be consumed by the infinite power of Chaos – or is it the infinite power of Robotnik?  He could stand here and watch it from a distance, unable to do anything.  
            Nobody was calm; they were watching before their eyes everything they had tried to stop.  Robotnik was destroying the world.  
            But Chuck remained composed enough to make their last stand, to minimize damages.  
            Hope remained.  Sonic could not feel it, for it was outside of him.  Having not come to terms with what was really happening, he could see no need to have hope.  
            But it was there.  "I've got uplink!"  
            "Uplink?" Bunnie queried.  
            "We're connected to the satellite," Chuck said in explanation, hurriedly tapping at the device he had connected to the transmitter.  
            The line in the sky ebbed and pulsed, creating flashes in the air as the level of intensity of the green oscillated.  
            "I've already got the coordinates of the tower calculated; just gotta feed 'em in."  


* * *

  
            "Isn't this marvelous, Snively? Isn't it beautiful? The Great Forest is being erased. Just like that, Snively. In an instant! What a spectacular sight."  
            Snively fidgeted nervously.  "Indeed, sir. Only your genius could do such a thing, sir."  
            "I can't help but pity them. Only slightly, but nonetheless. It must be heartbreaking for them to lose everything they have ever worked for so quickly."  Robotnik's sympathy was betrayed by his laughter.  "But I did warn them. I gave them a chance. I even proved my power, proved to them that my threats were not idle. Yet they wanted so much to die."  
            "But who can blame them?" Snively remarked softly.  
            "What was that, Snively?"  Robotnik scowled.  "Are you inferring that life in a world run by me would be anything less than perfect?"  
            "N-n-n-no, sir. I was—"  
            "Are you inferring that my generosity does not overflow at the brim? That my offer for them to surrender and live their lives in acceptance of the world as it should be was anything less than ideal?!"  
            "N-n-n-n-"  
            "Good."  Robotnik's lips curled.  "I wouldn't want you to be disappointed in the world I have in store. The world as it was always intended to be. The world ruled by I and I alone."  
            Did he just say _alone_?  Snively shuddered reflexively.  No, no, he didn't mean __without me; he but meant that I never __ruled.  


* * *

  
            "Got it. I'm ordering an electrical discharge upon the tower now."  
            Chuck tapped at the device, his last tap with finality.  "Bingo."  
            The sky flashed again.  Blue this time.  A blue line streaked across the smog, crossing the green hand of Chaos.  
            The tower braced itself for the impact, and the blue ray descended thunderously upon it.  
            The tower was the nexus of the blue and green.  
            Cataclysmic, a battle of Titans.  
            Both beams endured, wavering and pulsating, but sustaining.  The two forces were entwined.  
            But the blue light, descended from the heavens, was not stopping the world from being swallowed up.  The mouth of Chaos swallowed another piece of the Forest as it crept across the horizon.  
            The hole in the Forest was cancerous.  Perhaps a quarter of the entire Forest was fuel for the mouth now, ceasing to exist.  
            The blue and green rays collided at the tower; a battle of Titans.  
            And then it happened.  The electrical surge rippled down the body of the tower like a shockwave.    
            And as the shock cascaded down the tower, it shorted; the gaping mouth of Chaos closed.  
            What a strange way to fight a war.  The battles may have been fought by armies, but in the final stand, the combatants were one man's instance of Chaos, and the same man's machine in space turned against him.  In its final day, this war was a spectator sport.  The once-combatants watched others sustain injuries, watched casualties fall from afar.  And neither side had escaped unscathed.  The tower was disabled.  The Great Forest had a craterous hole in it.  
            Yet it is presumptuous to speak of it with finality.  It is presumptuous and rash to believe the war was over.  
            So much lay ahead.  
  
  
_**


	18. Seventeen

**17  
**

  
            Was it all over now?  Their world had crumbled; was it together now once more?  Restored?  Was it all undone in that one bold instant when the titans collided, and the tower was stripped naked, stripped of its skin?  Nothing was undone.  Their home had been razed.  Many had fallen casualty to this war of distance.  And was it over now?  
            For the echidna, the recent events were just a meaningless blur.  He had lost track of the answers to the riddles, the pieces of the puzzle.  He had fallen away, given up hope of understanding or fathoming anything.  He did not resist; he did as he was told.  But it was all meaningless.  He followed the commands but their resolution didn't inspire him; he felt nothing.  
            And in the midst of it all, he almost forgot the reason he was here.  The emerald.  He had to recover the emerald.  He stood, gaping in awe at the ghost image of what had but moments ago been a cleaver of the sky.  He felt a tug on his mind and let go; as he shifted his gaze back to his unstable reality, the clash of Titans – an ephemeron – seemed almost unbelievable.  
            Sally might have been euphoric had it truly sunk in.  
            "We did it."  Uncle Chuck broke the thunderstruck silence.  
            "Mah stars."  
            Sally exhaled audibly.  
            "Alright, we did it!" shouted Sonic, lifting a crutch in the air.  "We won!"  
            Bunnie and Tails joined him in his celebration.  
            Sally did not share their joy.  They had not won.  They had lost this war.  Their home was no more.  The Great Forest bore a crater.  Many had died on the field of battle.  What had Robotnik lost?  Robots that could easily be replaced, and the power to destroy the world.  And the latter was not really lost, she believed; it had not been taken, only disabled.  And Robotnik could again gather that power and the next time there would be no delay, and there would be no open door to the satellite.  And now, she realized, this calm would not last long; Robotnik had the emerald, and it would not be so long before he could again harness its power.  
            Sally looked around to find the echidna staring back at her.  And she knew he too was thinking of the emerald.  Her sad eyes flickered and welled as she stared into the forlorn eyes of the echidna.  She saw him filled with emptiness, gasping for the air of answers.  And her eyes shimmered with empathy.  Right now she felt almost as lost as he did, or perhaps so she believed.  
            She almost didn't want to say anything to upset Sonic's celebration, to rain on their misplaced elation.  But she had to.  
            "This mission isn't over yet."  
            The sparse commotion quieted, and Sonic replied: "Aw, c'mon, Sal; can't we enjoy the moment for a bit first?"  
            "No."  Perhaps she truly meant this with the highest intentions of protecting everyone from Robotnik's inevitable counterattack… or perhaps she could not bear to see them so happy when she was so sad and tense.  "We have to get the emerald. We can't let Robotnik hold onto it or this will all have been for naught."  
            "Fine, fine."  
            And so another trek to the tower began.  


* * *

  
            They stood once more before the tower that had threatened their world.  It was monolithic, but dead.  How could something so dead imperil so greatly?  Of course, it was not truly this tower that had been the destroyer, but the power of the Chaos emerald.  So thankfully it seemed Robotnik did not have the capacity to destroy the world just by building a machine.  He required the power of Chaos.  And now to stop him from reacquiring that capacity, they had to seize the power from him.  
            The tower was visibly ruined.  In many places the metallic skin had fallen away, exposing the glass spine within.  And apparently of all that remained, the electronic components were all shorted and dead, unusable.  
            Sally wondered how long Robotnik had been building this tower.  It had been built outside of Robotropolis and evidence of it had not been published to the networks for Uncle Chuck to find.  Logically she suspected it must have been long in the making, but she still feared, perhaps irrationally, that the immense damage done by the electrical shockwave would only set Robotnik back a week.  She would consult Nicole later about that.  Perhaps Nicole would be able to reassure her and make an accurate prediction.  For now, Sally was convinced that seizing the emerald would far and away be more productive.  After all, it was likely that Robotnik still had other ways to harness the emerald's power, and if not he could always build some other device that could make use of the emerald's power.  Destroying the tower had destroyed the tower, but the emerald could be transferred to some other device.  Destroying the tower only delayed Robotnik from unleashing that power.  Taking the emerald would cripple him far heavier than destroying the tower had.  
            "Sonic, you know the way to the emerald, right?"  
            "Yeah. I'll lead."  


* * *

  
            It was even darker than he remembered at first.  Upon reaching the second floor, however, the light poured in through a newly-created hole in the side of the tower.  He and Sally were alone in the tower; the others were standing watch outside.  
            "Say, Sonic, how is it that you're able to face anything and never be worried or afraid or sad? You broke your leg but that didn't even stop you from giving your all and fighting."  
            "Hey, it's not all happy days for me, Sal. I just don't let it get to me. I get afraid. I get sad. But I'd do anything to bring this world back to where it should be. I think I learned it from you, Sal. We've been against such overwhelming odds but you didn't let that stop you."  
            "But you're so eager. I don't know. When Knothole burned, it seemed to… energize you. But for me it just reminds me every day of how I failed. And it makes everything else seem so impossible."  
            "I guess that's just because I'm stupid. I don't see the big picture. I just focus on whatever's right in front of me at the moment. When I'm fighting a SWATbot, I'm fighting a SWATbot, not clearing the way for the destruction of one of Robotnik's factories. But, you know…"  
            Sonic paused, and turned to face Sally.  Awkwardly, he placed his hands on her shoulders.  "If you ever need a friend, I'm here for ya, Sal."  He half-smiled.  "We'll get through this."  
            "Thanks, Sonic."  
            A faint rumbling sound could be heard from above.  


* * *

  
            Bunnie armed her pulse cannon and, taking aim, unleashed a blast at the sky.  But it was too late.  The ship had already swooped past her mark, and had descended into the top of the tower.  
            Robotnik had arrived.   


* * *

  
            "What was that?"  
            "I don't know. Let's check it out."  


* * *

  
            Robotnik's classic hovercraft descended onto the platform.  As its engine came to a halt, Robotnik put his hand on the side of the frame and hopped out onto the catwalk.  He trudged down the catwalk and into the tunnel, through the door and into the control room.  A few taps at the terminal later, the glass column had opened itself to him.  Reaching inside, he took the emerald in his hands.  With a slight smile, he turned back towards the catwalk.  Chaos in hand, he plodded back down the tunnel.  


* * *

  
            Sonic pulled himself up the stairs.  One more stairwell and they'd be within the halo.  Sally came up the stairs behind him as he crossed over to the other side of the platform.  As he ascended the stairwell, something caught his eye on the next floor.  Robotnik's hovercraft.  
            "Shit!"  
            "What, Sonic?"  
            Sonic frantically tried to climb the stairwell, jerking his crutches back and forth as he pulled himself upward.  "Robotnik!"  
            And then he saw Robotnik himself on the catwalk.  Robotnik heard him and as he caught sight of Sonic, he hurried his pace.  Sally rushed up the stairs in front of Sonic and after taking a moment to get her bearings, raced after Robotnik.  
            But she could not beat him to his hovercraft.  The craft lifted off the ground within seconds and Robotnik was out of reach; Sally found herself in the ship's shadow as she looked up at its black underside.  
            "Robotnik!!"  Sonic shook his fist in the air.   
            "Sorry to disappoint you, hedgehog, but it seems as if I've won this race. It's a pity that you couldn't even beat me in your area of expertise."  Robotnik looked down at Sonic's crutches.   "But maybe it shows how pathetic you really are without your speed," Robotnik snarled.  
            Sonic discreetly reached to his back as he shouted out, "I'm nothing without my speed? Ha, you just think that, Robuttnik!"  
            Robotnik laughed.  Sally noticed what Sonic was doing; she observed that he was reaching back to a radio she didn't know he had; he was tapping at the call button.  Sending a signal to someone, she supposed?  
            "It's true, you miscreant! You're nothing without your speed! You're worthless!"  
            "We've beat you, Robuttnik. Even without my speed I still beat you."  
            "You may have won this battle, hedgehog, but I will win the war. You may have been able to stop this tower from unleashing its wrath upon you now, but the time will come when this tower again stands mighty."  
            "Whatever you build, we'll tear it down. Whatever you throw at us, we'll take it on. We will destroy you."  
            "I doubt that, hedgehog. It doesn't matter how many battles you win, for I shall still win the war."  
            "If you say so," smirked Sonic, and in the same instant as he finished his sentence, he quickly heaved one of his crutches up at the side of the tower with great force.  The point of impact crumbled and was overencumbered by the metal above it, which broke away from the tower and crashed down upon Robotnik's hovercraft, grounding it warily on the catwalk.  It was on such unsure balance that it might have fallen, were the pressure from the fallen rubble not pinning it to the edge of the catwalk.  
            "Gah!" Robotnik shouted, quickly pulling himself out of the hovercraft and onto the catwalk.  He was several feet away from Sonic and stood between Sonic and the hub.  
            "If you think you've beaten me, you're sorely mistaken!" laughed Robotnik.  
            "Sure looks like you're beaten to me, 'Buttnik!"  
            "Without your speed you have no hope of catching me, and if you think I don't have another means of escape, you're just disillusioning yourself."  
            Sonic hopped forward on his one remaining crutch.  Robotnik took a step backward to maintain the distance.  
            "You might be able to escape, but you won't leave here with the emerald!"  
            "I won't leave here with the emerald?" Robotnik held out the emerald in his left hand.  "It looks to me like I've got the emerald, doesn't it?"  
            Suddenly Robotnik felt something lunge at his arm from behind.  Turning, he found Tails clamped onto his wrist.  Tails swatted at the emerald and managed to pry it loose from Robotnik's fingers before Robotnik clubbed him with his right hand.  Tails and the emerald both were sent reeling away.  The emerald landed back in Robotnik's hovercraft, and Tails was sent backwards onto the catwalk behind Robotnik.  
            Sonic shouted into his radio: "Now!"  
            Within moments, the tower shook violently as a loud blast struck the side of the tower.  The rubble that had fallen onto Robotnik's hovercraft was shaken free and plummeted down into the depths of the tower.  The hovercraft, now free, took off of its own accord, surely malfunctioning after the damage it had received.  It jettisoned upward and then moved uncontrollably and erratically as it circled around the tower and then was rocketed out through the tower's open top.  
            "You fools really think you've gotten the best of me, don't you?! Well, I'll be right behind that hovercraft. There's no way in hell you can beat me to it! With only one crutch you're damn near immobilized!"    
            Robotnik hurriedly turned and fled toward the tunnel to the hub.  "I'll be right behind it!" he shouted again.  
            Tails, who had landed on the catwalk between Robotnik and the tunnel, now lunged again at Robotnik, hampering his pace.  
            "Get off of me, you cretin!"  Robotnik batted at the fox for several seconds before he finally got himself free of the kitsune's grasp, clubbing him again and sending him reeling into the tower's void.  Robotnik hurried his pace, quickly reaching the mouth of the tunnel.  Tails set his tails into motion, breaking his fall, and landing back on the catwalk.  Robotnik, though, had already entered the hub and closed the diamond-glass bars.  "Ta-ta!"  His voice echoed about the tunnel, and then he made his departure.  
            Sonic quickly hit the call button on his radio again.  "Uncle Chuck! Robotnik's hovercraft took off with the emerald, but 'Buttnik's not in it! Can Robotnik track the hovercraft?"  
            "Of course."  
            "Then I need you to change the coordinates of it; put in false ones. We can't let Robotnik find it before we do."  
            "I'll get right on it."  
            Sally approached Sonic.  "How did you do that?"  
            "Do what?"  
            "The tower shaking on your command?"  
            "That was Bunnie. She fired her pulse cannon. I told Tails and Bunnie to be ready for my signal, just in case Robotnik showed up."  
            "But how could you… how could you _think _of it all?"  
            "Ha, well, when my feet aren't moving so fast, my mind has to compensate."  Sonic smirked.  


* * *

  
            "I've got the coordinates of the location of the hovercraft at the time I input the false data. The hovercraft was still airborne, so it's moved since then, and it was moving very erratically and unpredictably, but the coordinates should give us a general idea of where it might be. The coordinates accessible to Robotnik should place him in the opposite direction," said Uncle Chuck.  
            "And Sonic thought of this?"  
            "What, you don't think I've got the brains?"  
            "No, it's just… well, maybe."  
            "It's alright, Sal. I even surprise myself sometimes."  
            "We should send out a visible, false search party to the area of the false coordinates, to mislead Robotnik while we send out a much smaller party, which will hopefully be unnoticed, to search the correct vicinity. We want to bait Robotnik away from the emerald so we can find it first, but we don't want him to notice us when we look in the right area."  
            "What if Robotnik _does_ find the emerald?"  
            "Robotnik does not have anything else nearly on the scale of the tower's capacity. Of course he could still use the emerald, but certainly not in the magnitude the tower was capable of. You may think the Emerald was the real weapon, but the Emerald by itself is nothing. Its infinite power can be used for good or for evil, and it is the thing that harnesses its power that determines what Chaos will do. The tower was the weapon. It depended on the emerald's power but it was the tower that was able to harness it in such a way to create such destructive energy. Robotnik has nothing else like the tower at this moment. It will take him a long time before he is capable of harnessing Chaos in the way the tower did. It could be a full year or more before something on the scale of the tower can be rebuilt. When you disabled the tower's guns in that one assault, you only delayed its potency. But this last attack has completely quelled it. At this point, Robotnik would be able to do little with the emerald and it will be long before he can."  
            Uncle Chuck continued: "But at this point, Robotnik should have no way of knowing at all where the emerald is, and most likely he will have a false sense of security that he in fact _does_. I programmed the system such that the hovercraft will appear to have been disabled, its beacon shut off. The false coordinates Robotnik has will appear to be the last-known coordinates, not the current ones. He could be searching in the area for a long time before he realizes it's not there. Plus, if he buys into our big search party, he'll be even more convinced that the hovercraft is in that area. There should be a long Calm now. You have much time of calm now. Send out the false search team and then after a while, recall them. It should both give Robotnik a false sense of hope in finding the hovercraft and being alone in search of it, and also allow the party to return home. Meanwhile, what I'd recommend is that you take a break. Sonic should rest, and you have time now to start the reconstruction of Knothole."  
            The reconstruction of Knothole.  
            Sally remembered her promise, and realized that now was the time to keep it.  They could keep on fighting Robotnik without cease and never have a home again, or they could take this calm and put it to use in undoing the razing Robotnik had done.  And to have a home again.  To lift that immense burden from her shoulders, to know that it could be done; to know that Robotnik couldn't destroy them that easily.  To live again.  


* * *

  
            _"It appears that Julian and Entropy have been averted for now."  
_            "Yes. But Julian will surely raise Entropy's flag once more."_  
_            "And I am unsure if the City can land before the jewel is returned to its place. But at least Entropy has been averted. There is time now."_  
_            "But none to waste. Should your dear Kouken-san not continue in pursuit of the jewel? The sooner it can rest, the sooner I too can rest."_  
_            "The world is unthreatened for now. If he chooses to answer his calling of his own volition, then so be it, but should he really be forced back so soon?"_  
_            "While Entropy may have been averted, the jewel is still in the open, and it is not safe from Julian. I cannot rest easy until it is restored. And neither should you."_  
_            "Alas, fine. But I shall let him choose his own path for a few days before reminding him of who he is."_  
_            "How can you be so calm?"_  
_            "The others too realize the importance of keeping Julian from the jewel. They are not acting now because it is not yet necessary. I would rest easier if the jewel was snatched tonight. But you and I both know that is not possible. A few days of rest will do no harm, and regardless, I think it would be best if Kouken-san pursued the jewel of his own accord. He must internalize his duty. He must feel driven out of necessity; he needs to feel compelled."_  
_            "What does it matter?"_  
_            "A thing is always done best when it is internalized."_  
_            "So you intend to do nothing then?"_  
_            "No. But I want to simply remind him of who he is. I believe his drive will return if he is but just reminded. All of the struggles of these past days have overwhelmed him; he has forgotten who he is. With a semblance of normality returned, I believe all he needs is a push in the back of the mind for his call to duty to come back to the front…_  
_            "You asked me how I could be so calm. Now I ask you how you can not feel relieved? The jewel may not be in its place but nonetheless I felt an immense burden lift from me this day."_  
_            "I do feel relief. But I suppose I lack your sense of confidence in the boy."_  
_            "I think with time your confidence will be renewed. Or perhaps you expect too much of him?"_  
_            "I may indeed expect too much of him, but it's hard not to when you entrust him alone to save the world."_  
_            "Save the world? I expect nothing of the sort from him. That is the task of the world itself. The world itself must unite to save itself. Yet I have little concern in the fate of the world. I care about the jewel and the City, and have we not always, since the beginning, entrusted Koukennin to protect those? You lack not faith in him or in me, but faith in the system we have created to minimize Entropy."_  
_            "But this time he is alone."_  
_            "Relatively speaking."_  
_            "You know what I mean."_  
_            "Yes. But all shall rest for a short while, and then I will awaken Kouken-san, that the system we have created might serve us as we created it to. That he whose duty it is might fulfill that duty."_  


* * *

  
            "Snively, is the factory online?"  
            "Within the hour, sir."  
            "Good. I want a hundred constructed and I want them all to report directly to me. They should begin construction of the new plans as soon as I have completed their design. They will not report to anyone but me. I want no trace of their activities to be recorded. I don't want the Freedom Fighters to learn of what they're doing."  
            "Yes sir."  
            "And what of the Freedom Fighter search squad?"  
            "We are following them closely, sir. You will be notified immediately if they find anything or if they make significant movement."  
            "Good, Snively. I must get back to work on the plans."  
            "As you wish, sir."  


* * *

  
            Now that the Freedom Fighters were returning home to rebuild Knothole, Knuckles was freed of his obligations to them.  He had no intention of living with them, and with their joint venture concluded, it was time for him to move on.  He had fought for them at first to find his friends, and now he had; and then because they shared his goal of retrieving the emerald.  But now that the battalions were disbanded, and he was reunited with his friends, he could go home.  Robotnik's armies had abandoned the Island, and his friends had been restored to him.  
            And so now he began the journey home, with Espio, Mighty, Vector, and Charmy all in company.  
  
            "Alright, we're there!"  
            Sally rounded the corner to meet the workers.  As she peered up into the ceiling, she could see the roots hanging down.  With a smile, she reached up and pushed until the blue sky peeked through the canopies.  She pulled herself up and out and stood upon the soil.  She looked down through the treestump to see Rand's face looking back at her.  With joyous laughter she leaped back through the stump and threw her arms around an unexpecting Rand.  "Thank you so much," she smiled.  
            Knothole II had been reached; a new tree stump had been hollowed.  And now they could finally build anew.  
            "Hey, guys; we've made it!" shouted Sally.  
            Sonic appeared within moments.  
             "Alright!" he exclaimed, pulling himself out through the hollowed stump.  He pulled himself to his feet.  "This is great! We have plenty of room here!"  
            Tails soon arrived airborne, and Sally pulled herself up again behind him.  
            Soon everyone would gather here to appreciate the work that had been done.  And soon thereafter, the beginning of much more work would arrive, but it would be done in earnest, and with great dedication, for this work was the most important of the hour, and finishing it would award them with the greatest thing they could hope to find.  
            Sally took her place beside Sonic, and, putting her arm around his shoulder, simply smiled as she looked first at him, and then ahead at the place that would soon be home.  
            "I told you we'd make it, Sal."  He put his right arm around her waist, returning her friendly embrace.  "I told you Robotnik couldn't keep Knothole snuffed."  
            "I know, Sonic."  But she said so much more with her graceful smile than she said with her words.  
            Knothole would be reborn.  A new era would begin.  
            Sonic and Sally stood there in silence, arms warmly around one another, as they stared together at what would be.  And they smiled.  
_


	19. Epilogue

**EPILOGUE**  


  
            The time would come when Knothole was to make its stand once more against the Empire of Robotnik.  But that time was not now.  The battle was over, and it was time to rebuild, to recoup for the damage they had sustained.  
            Yet all that had happened, in all its immensity, was but the dawn of the war.  
  
            The delusory search squad concluded its charade as it exaggeratedly gave up its search.  Robotnik moved in, believing the Freedom Fighters had given up the search for the emerald, and that the search was his alone now.  
  
            Another mission was undertaken as well: that of reseeding the crater which Chaos had created in the Forest.  Of course it would take time for the Forest to look as it had before, but by planting the seeds of the future now, in time, where trees had once been, trees would be once more.  
  
            And Knuckles the Echidna, Guardian of the Floating Island and of the Chaos Emerald, reunited with the Chaotix, once again had set out.  He would return to the Floating Island before his mission was once again reawakened.  
            _"Koukennin..."_  
            He knew what had to be done.  He could not rest until the Emerald was once again upon the Floating Island.  For he was Koukennin, and his time spent with the Freedom Fighters was over; reacquiring the emerald was his duty once more.  He relieved the small search party which Princess Sally had dispatched and took up the task for himself and his friends.  And with that, the last of the Freedom Fighters went home, relinquishing their task to the Guardian of the Chaos emerald.  
  
            As Princess Sally led the rebuilding of Knothole, her assertion returned; once more she was unafraid of Robotnik, and dedicated to the reclaiming of the throne and the overthrow of the dictator.  The realization of Knothole II was cathartic for the princess; it returned a sense of normality to everything.  With the conviction of Knothole being returned to existence, the impending threat of Robotnik's retaliation and reconstruction became once more that which she had always intended to subdue.  
  
            And as I scribe these words, I know this story has come to a close.  The story of the dawn of the war has been told, and Knothole would be restored.  Robotnik would seek again to stifle the rebellions that stood against his reign, but for a time there would be Calm.  Survivors of Ilus would build a new home, and Raiyon would forge a concord with Knothole on behalf of New Ilus.  Tarahassas, too, would make a pact with Knothole.  There were now more willing to stand against Robotnik.  Unity was coming together.  
            But for the time, arms would be lain down and the Calm would be embraced.  Some day those pacts would doubtlessly be called upon, but for now the battle was over; the war had begun.  
            And I lay down my quill in preparation for what is to come.  



End file.
